HR 7&8 Varalie's Tale
by slytherinsal
Summary: 3-10-2523 to 6-17-2523 Varalie has to leave the Harper Hall to foster in a most unpleasant Hold where she makes friends and gets into all sorts of scrapes before going to the Weyr as a candidate.
1. Chapter 1

_May I say first thank you to Geowyn and Smithzookeeper for reviewing Threewoods - of which there WILL be more in the future. More about Andreesas and Banessan and others! I'm really glad you like my High Reaches stories. Smithzookeeper, don't hesitate to write down those ideas in note form; you never know, you might feel inspired to write once you have notes; and if you join up to post we'll all read and make constructive suggestions. _

**Chapter 1 **

Varalie would not have minded staying at the Harper Hall as an apprentice, with the other Ranking girl Dorasha and her apprentice friends. Unfortunately, Varalie reflected, her musical talents were not sufficient. She had learned a lot – especially from the apprentices and journeyman Horgey – Blue Rider H'gey, she corrected herself – but one of the things she had learned with regret was her own limitation. Besides, her grandfather, the Holder of Pook's Pass Hold in Crom would never countenance a girl taking up an apprenticeship. His sentence once her allotted time at the Harper Hall was up was to foster in a larger Hold and make suitable alliance with a suitable boy under controlled conditions.

Varalie nibbled a lock of her dark curls and wished fervently that she had begged H'gey and his betrothed, Lady Kitiara, to take her to High Reaches Weyr when they had departed. True, walking sweep with the Lady Kitiara – or apprentice Kit as she was also known – had been terrifying; but she had made herself do it! It may only have been to try to impress Kitiara, but if she could do it once, surely she could learn to cope with Threadfall regularly? Bravery was a matter of determination – and Varalie did not lack THAT! However, she had missed her opportunity, and must wait for the dragonrider based at Twosprings Hold whence she was headed to take her to an unknown place full of unknown people in whom she had no interest; especially eligible boys. At least the Harper Hall had the offer of music; and the Weyr would contain people she knew, and dragons, who were all wonderful. And if Brieth were anything to go by, not all dragons were as standoffish as her own Hold's Green, an ageing Rider and his disobliging dragon who seemed to take a delight in moving into difficult to mount positions.

The dragonrider who came for her was another elderly man, mounted on an ageing Blue, who had a touch of white about his muzzle.

Varalie smiled tentatively.

"Thank you for collecting me, Blue Rider" she said. "Please will you tell me your dragon's name so I may thank him too?"

The Rider gave a smile of grim satisfaction.

"Well, lass, y'might be almost weyrbred to ask after the dragon first! Mardith says thanks for your courtesy."

Varalie flushed.

"I'm sorry I forgot to ask your name, Blue Rider."

The old man laughed.

"It's J'frey, lass – My Lady, I should say."

"Oh – just Varalie, if you please!" said Varalie. "I'm not from a big Hold or anything nor very important. I – er, I climb onto Mardith's leg, don't I?"

J'frey nodded.

"Shall I pull?"

"Please….I'm not very used to full sized dragons."

J'frey reached down for her bag first, then put down a hand to help her scramble over Mardith's foreleg.

"Thanks, Mardith" said Varalie.

"He says, you're welcome" said J'frey. "But you're used to dragons that aren't full grown? You've spent time in a Weyr? Or is it that you know the white dragon?"

Varalie shook her head.

"Our Journeyman tutor Impressed unexpectedly in the tiers; and brought Brieth back to the Harper Hall while he finished uncompleted duties, because he was going to go back to the Harperweyr at High Reaches anyway" she told the official story, all that she knew. Not many were privy to the fact that H'gey distrusted some of the Oldtimer Riders at Fort Weyr and were afraid they might cause harm to him or Brieth because of his crippled state with a partially healed broken back.

J'frey nodded.

"I'm out of High Reaches myself" he said "It's a good place. I'm on light duty for my age though, hence being duty Rider at a small Hold. It's quiet" he pulled a face "Sometimes too quiet."

"What's it like? What are the people like?" Varalie asked as they jerked off the ground and Mardith flapped a couple of deep wing beats.

"I'd rather not comment, My – Varalie. Hold-Weyr relations, you know. I like the oldest boy though, takes after his mother more than his father; and the smallest ones aren't so bad."

That was cryptic; but before Varalie could ask what he meant they were engulfed in the soul-numbing cold of _Between_.

They burst out on a chill pre-spring day over a broad floodplain. Varalie knew that east of the river was Crom, and west was Nabol; and that the Hold was built overlooking the plain.

She could see more as they swooped in to land; the Hold was built into fossil river cliffs, and its name apparent for the verdant vegetation of the two springs that welled up close to each other, each becoming a stream that meandered in different directions! One seemed to run directly towards the big river, the other wandered downstream out of her immediate sight.

Mardith landed, and Varalie swallowed hard.

J'frey patted her on the shoulder.

"Bear up, young one! For one who's not had much to do with dragons you coped real well with flying and with _Between_!"

"But it was too interesting to be scary" she said. "People are scary. Or they can be. Not dragons."

"Hmph. Maybe you really do belong in a Weyr then, youngling. But if you do belong in a Weyr, you'll not let anyone see that they do scare you, hmmm? A weyrwoman stands up for what is right."

She nodded firmly, putting her chin up.

"I wish I was weyrbred and I wish you were my grandfather" she said.

J'frey laughed.

"Well now, that's as nice a compliment as I've had in a long time, my dear. I'd not be unhappy iif you were my granddaughter either. There! Run along do; they've come to meet you."

Varalie smiled thanks at him and reached up to touch Mardith's chin as she slid off; and went forward to meet Holder Bitrul, his wife Mallene and their eldest daughter Rulene.

Bitrul looked the sort of man from whom the last drop of the milk of human kindness had been squeezed, soured and applied as an enema. He had a touch of self-opinionated haughtiness to his features that were unmistakeably of the line of Meron, sallow, narrow faced and mean.

His wife looked more approachable; there was the light of intelligence in her eyes and a sardonic gleam of humour. From the way she looked Varalie over she was gleaning as much information as she could from the girl's apprearence.

Varalie flushed. Her clothes were of reasonable quality, for there was no economy in buying cheap cloth; but from a poor Hold and for a barely tolerated spare female luxuries were unheard of, and such embroidery as there was she had done for herself, even as she had made her own gown, copying the latest fashions of Southern Boll, the arbiter of style, since the main Weavercraft Hall was sited there. At least she had a gown that WAS still of moderately stylish cut; she had recently stopped growing violently and so had excuse for new clothes to go to the Harper Hall, with the excuse that her grandfather would not want anyone to mistake her for one of the drudges. Less than a turn meant that her clothes were not as yet out of date, especially in a moderate-sized out of the way Hold. Of course, she could not afford to cut garments on the bias, the style invented by dragonfolk for a more flattering drape, and a closer clinging fit to the figure; but she had planned the darts carefully to flatter her figure as much as possible. But all that did not alter the fact that the fabric was a cheaper cotton- wool union, not llama wool or caprine-ovine mix like the richest and softest. It was odd that caprines gave both the coarsest and the finest wool; the few caprines Pook's Pass Hold kept produced good silky soft wool that was sold to the weavercrafters, the first moulting of the spring. The second moulting was the coarse wool, that many holderfolk used for homespuns. And whilst her family would never dress in such coarse cloth, nor did they keep back their major profit by using the fine caprine and llama wool that the region produced, that spun with sisal or gossamer-silk to make the famous Fort Hold brocades of the kind she might only ever dream of owning.

Such as the girl Rulene was wearing.

True, only the bodice was brocade, but it was sumptuous, cream and gold-coloured, a shiny sisal-rich pattern of fellis flowers, with a fine thread of real gold-wrapped thread! The skirt and sleeves were soft, rich llama wool, Varalie thought, also in cream. Shards, this girl must have few enough duties to wear so impractical a colour as cream when it was not a Gather day!

The effect was spoiled by the fact that the girl's hair was escaping already from her dark plaits; and duties or no, there was a smear near the hem of her skirt. Varalie was glad; then felt mean for feeling glad. The girl gave her a friendly enough smile.

"Welcome Varalie! I'm Rulene, let me show you where we sleep, there's six of us girls now, which is pretty jolly, and my little sister of course, but she scarcely counts! This way!"

The girl surfaced for air for long enough for Varalie to murmur brief greetings and thanks to her host and hostess; then Rulene snapped her fingers for a drudge who was hovering to bring Varalie's carisac and gitar. Rulene eyed the bag dubiously.

"Where's the rest of your luggage? Did it get left behind at the Harper Hall?"

Varalie flushed.

"That's all my luggage" she said, tightly.

"Oh!" said Rulene blankly. "But – but don't you have any clothes with you?"

"I have three everyday gowns in my bag and a Gather gown. My grandfather does not feel that a young girl needs any more" said Varalie.

"Shards, poor you! He sounds a mean old caprine! Well, I guess you can buy fabric and have it made up on the quiet while you're here!"

Varalie smiled non-comittally. She could afford some fabric, for she had more marks than her grandfather had provided her with, or might have guessed about, for her association with the apprentices at the Harper Hall had taught her to craft simple instruments like drums and pipes. The boys had smuggled out tools and materials – for which she scrupulously paid – and showed her how to make instruments, teaching her some theory too. They then slid her offerings in with their own to be stamped my Master Jerint, giving her a far better price than unstamped amateur pieces! She had hoarded her earnings, but even so it was not enough for the sort of gowns Rulene seemed to view as everyday.

"Oh, I'm happy with what I have" she lied smoothly; resisting the temptation, since Rulene seemed nice enough if rather limited to make any comment about not wanting to make an exhibition of herself.

Meeting the other girls was traumatic. All but one of them were her age or older; and as the first remark passed as Rulene brought her into the room was,

"Oh my, a poor relation" she quailed and almost fled in tears. Only the advice of J'frey kept her blinking the tears back firmly and pulling herself up straight to look at the speaker. The rude girl was tall, with long glossy chestnut hair and a high bridged nose that she looked down. She wore a damasked gown in what looked to be a llama wool and linen mix, the linen for stiffness. It had an all over pattern of leaves in dark green on a beige ground, and a belt made with links shaped like leaves in copper. Varalie smiled a brittle smile.

"Why, I'd rather be a poor relation than have the manners of a wherry-kite I think!" she said.

There was a chuckle from one of the other girls.

"Heh, she has you to rights, Sifella!" said she, a girl with curly ginger hair. "I'm Jerissa and I'm glad there's to be someone else here who's not stuck up!"

Of the other two girls one was, Varalie thought, about her own age, but graceful and sophisticated in her movement with honey blonde ringlets, huge blue eyes and a bored expression. She wore blue velvet the colour of her eyes, richly embroidered. She gave her name as Mirinda and her hand barely touched Varalie's in greeting. The last girl had straight black hair, cut in a bob like many of the weyrwomen Varalie had seen, or Menolly, though Menolly's tended to be a bit more flyaway than this neat black head. She was a few turns younger than Varalie. The girl sat very still in a big chair with a rug over her. She did not rise when Varalie passed round the others and came to her to shake hands; but she smiled.

"I can't rise" she said. "My legs don't work."

Friendly and pleasant she looked; but there was a wariness in her eyes when she made the admission.

"Oh how irritating for you and frustrating! Was it an accident?" asked Varalie in genuine sympathy.

"No; I was born this way. My spie sticks out of my back" she concluded defiantly. "Name's Lavanni."

"Does that make it easier? Not missing what you've never had?" asked Varalie "'Cos I know H'gey gets pretty snippy at times having to have people to run errands for him."

It was not done for effect; but there was a rapid reassessment of her by the other girls as she tossed off the honorific of a dragonrider so carelessly. Lavanni's own eyes widened slightly.

"Oh, injured in Threadfall?" she asked.

"No, he had a bad fall on Harper business and broke his back before he Impressed – he only just did Impress, he's a Journeyman Harper too" said Varalie. "He's gone to live with his foster brother T'rin at High Reaches Weyr now, 'cos there's lots of Harpers there."

"I heard they take cranks and cripples at High Reaches" put in Sifella who could not resist sneering.

"I also heard their cranks and cripples fly the most effective Fall of any Weyr" retorted Varalie. "Which might be a lesson to those who are less adaptable. One of their Queenriders lost the use of her legs after an illness and that's when they started making wheeled chairs to get about; H'gey has one and a hoist that fits to the fighting straps to help life an injured rider. Do you have a wheeled chair, Lavanni?"

Lavanni shook her head.

"When I want to go somewhere I have to ask Relga" she indicated a huge drudge woman who sat impassively at the side of the room. Varalie was starteled; the woman sat so still she had not noticed her! Relga nodded on being spoken about. She had a flat face and narrow eyes and her black hair hung lankly each side of her face. Her brawny arms looked as though they could each lift a runnerbeast!

"I'll write to H'gey" said Varalie. "It'd be nice if you could push yourself along in a chair, no disrespect to Relga, but I reckon it would be great to have the independence."

Lavanni stared and blinked hard.

"Thank you for even thinking about it" she whispered low enough so the others could not hear. "That's the first kind thing anyone has said since I've been fostered – even the ones that aren't UNkind don't say anything because they're embarrassed."

"Porcines" said Varalie, leaning forward to embrace Lavanni. "Let's be friends, huh? And if the weyr can make you a chair I'll push it to give you a rest. I've pushed H'gey once or twice when Kitiara was unavailable."

Lavanni clung to her almost desperately for a brief moment; then smiled mistily at the older girl.

"Oh I AM glad you came here!" she said.

Suddenly Varalie was glad too.

However much she might dislike Sifella and Mirinda, and however difficult they made it, at least she could help this kid Lavanni to feel less unhappy.

"My firelizard Bris helps at least by getting things" Lavanni indicated the little brown lizard sitting with two blues, overlooking the girls. "My parents thought he'd help me to be more independent" she still spoke in an undertone; as did Varalie.

"You sound like you have good parents. Is that why they sent you to foster?"

"Yes, they want me to have as normal a life as possible. But I wish I didn't have to" said Lavanni wistfully.

"I won't let THEM bully you" said Varalie. "I learned a lot from H'gey what it's like to be immobilised, so I guess I'm less ignorant than them. He says the ignorant pick on people who are different because they're afraid of difference."

Lavanni was much struck.

"So you could look on it being THEM who are crippled – in the courage?"

Varalie grinned.

"Exactly!" she said.


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks Geowyn! A few strong ladies in this story - in their different ways. And this one is a decent length too, 26 chapters._

**Chapter 2**

The girl Jerissa who had laughed at Varalie's put down of Sifella volunteered to help the newcomer to unpack. They were 'helped' by the little blue firelizard that looked to Jerissa; the other blue looked to the unpleasant Sifella, and Jerissa though it a shame.

"Poor little creature" the girl said "Uses him to send love letters to boys I bet. Likes boys does Sifella."

"Can't see why they might like her" grimaced Varalie "She has a nasty disposition."

Jerissa shrugged.

"Oh, you know boys. What do they care about disposition? You can't snog disposition."

"I guess. Well if she's prepared to act the loving wench, that's her business. You seem pretty nice, will you be friends with Lavanni and me?"

Jerissa looked wary.

"Look, I'm sorry for the kid, but I really don't know what to say to her. I mean, she can't DO anything!"

"I saw her embroidery beside her; it's exquisite. I'd say she did that pretty well" defended Varalie.

Jerissa pulled a face.

"Oh – sewing. Hate it myself, I like a more active life. I guess I've nothing in common with her; I like to walk and to climb about after herbs, at least that's a good excuse for scrambling places."

"Don't you think Lavanni might like to hear about the things you've seen on your walks? And at least enjoy them second hand? And your firelizard could send visualisations via hers too, couldn't he?"

Jerissa shrugged.

"I guess…well, I'll ask her if she'd like that. Guess it'd make me jealous if I was her; not to be doing myself. I escape whenever I can – I sort of hoped you'd come with me, you don't look prosy! I mean, Rulene's not bad, but she cares too much about her status and she worries about getting her clothes torn or dirty, which she can manage to do anyway without even trying hard; but when I say why not at least have fun when getting mussed, she moans and squeaks."

Varalie grinned. There was logic in Jerissa's suggestion of at least enjoying getting torn and dirty, but perhaps Rulene was afraid her mother might have something to say about it!

"What about her little sister? How old IS she?"

"Only twelve….she's old enough to want to be included and young enough to be a bit of a nuisance. She's a nice kid though is Mallitta, ready for trouble and good at getting out of it too!" grinned Jerissa. "I do let the kid tag along sometimes; would you mind if she came with us?"

"No, I'm used to apprentices her age at the Harper Hall. Some of them are pretty smart."

There was a flurry behind her and a young girl bounced in.

"I say! Thanks! I'm pretty smart too, and I do try not to be a nuisance" said the small person, holding out her hand. "Mallitta. Will you be my friend too?"

"Varalie" said Varalie, taking it seriously. "I will if you'll help me help Lavanni."

"Poor Lavanni, it must be tough" said Mallitta "But is there anything we CAN do? That fierce giant of hers does everything for her."

"I'll contact High Reaches Weyr" said Varalie, hoping fervently that H'gey would remember her kindly enough and would be prepared and able to help! "They make wheeled chairs for people who are injured or otherwise crippled."

"Whoh!" said Mallitta "That's a good idea. How are you going to let them know? You don't have a firelizard, do you?"

Varalie shook her head.

"I wondered if Lavanni's Bris could take a visualisation from me" she said "Or I guess I could ask J'frey."

"Who's that?" asked Mallitta.

Varalie stared.

"Tell me that you're fooling that you don't know the name of your resident Blue Rider" she said.

Mallitta shrugged.

"We don't have much to do with him, you know; I'd not be allowed to talk to him, father discourages hobnobbing with dragonfolk. And I don't get to go places dragonback at my age."

"But Mardith's so friendly! Haven't you ever wanted to talk to him?"

Mallitta stared.

"I guess I never thought of it" she said huffily "We don't all have Weyr connections you know."

"Shards, I don't have real Weyr connections. Only that my Journeyman Tutor Impressed and he was already Weyrbred, I think" said Varalie crossly. "Don't look at me like I have two heads."

"Sorry" said Mallitta "I guess I was a bit jealous; and cross too, 'cos it never crossed my mind to hobnob with our dragon, and nobody's ever forbidden that, only talking to weyrfolk if they don't address you first."

This was the second intimation that getting round parental strictures by deceit was considered normal; for Rulene had suggested making up gowns without Varalie's grandfather's knowledge. Varalie argued with her grandfather, and sailed as close to the wind as she dared, but it did not speak well for the relations between the generations here either. Still, the girl Mallitta had a good sense of self appraisal!

"You're a remarkably honest kiddy" said Varalie appreciatively "Able to admit jealousy. I like that. C'mon, let's fo talk to J'frey; nobody has ever forbidden me to talk to him and he's a friend now so they'd better not."

J'frey listened carefully as Varalie outlined the problems of Lavanni's mobility with input from Jerissa.

"Yes, I didn't bring her in myself" said the Blue Rider. "She came up river and then by litter. I saw her brought in and I'd say the journey cost her a lot in pain. I wondered at her parents putting her through it; but I can see they thought the moral effect might outweigh the physical to foster like any other girl of Rank. A wheeled chair like Sh'rilla's would help out, but I'm chary of getting T'bor involved in what might be seen as interfering in Holds."

Varalie sighed in exasperation.

"POLITICS!" she said. "How grown men can be so fatuously childish as to play politics about improving people's lives I cannot understand! It's not like the Weyr wanting to snatch her away whether she wills it or no; I don't know if her parents can pay for the work but I guess they would and could because they bought her a firelizard egg to help her and they seem to want her to join in as much as she can."

"Tell you what, young Varalie" said J'frey, taking no offence at her outburst for recognising it was not he being accused of being fatuously childish, "You ask your new friend to send her firelizard to her parents asking for a letter to her giving her permission to request Weyr aid; and then we're all covered and Holder Bitrul can't hold anything against T'bor."

"All right, I shall; but why should Holder Bitrul hold anything against the Weyrleader when the Weyrleader is only helping?" asked Varalie.

J'frey coughed into his hand; and there was a word in the cough.

"Meronspawn!"

"I still don't understand!"

"Look, shortstuff, some people don't like to owe favours to anyone" said J'frey "And they get all anxious and cross in case one day they're expected to pay back in spades."

"But it's not him getting the favour; it's Lavanni who is. Will be. I hope" Varalie was perplexed.

J'frey sighed and ran a hand through his short, grizzled locks.

"But she's under his care and it might look as though the Weyr thinks she's not getting the care she needs and reproaches Bitrul for not providing it himself."

"But that's wherry teeth! It's a Weyr invention, how could he provide it himself?"

J'frey shrugged.

"But that's the way it is, Varalie. You're too honest and kind-hearted to have to come into contact with politics; but I'd not do you OR your friend any favours if I didn't tell it like it is."

Varalie pulled a face.

"I guess not. Oh well, we'll just have to write to her parents then. Your father isn't half weird, Mallitta."

"You noticed?" said Mallitta sarcastically. "He doesn't like the Weyr or weyrfolk. I don't ask why. It doesn't make sense to me either but I've learned to keep my mouth shut and not ask questions."

J'frey swallowed hard; he had not recognised the youngest child of the Holder, for he had had no contact with her and had but heard that she was popular enough with the holderfolk. Well, she seemed to have no illusions about her father; it was to be hoped that she would not spread that he had spoken rather too freely about the Holder!

Lavanni was as mystified as Varalie and her two new friends over the peculiar nature of politics and the remarkable childishness of grown-ups. However, between them they composed a note that was not TOO confused; and Lavanni sent Bris off to her parents with it, for Lavanni also had stores of paper to communicate with her parents.

A reply came in about an hour, with Bris hiccoughing happily on a full stomach. Her parents had used bribery to keep him there until they had composed a reply! The note he brought read,

"Holder Lavaris is willing for his daughter to seek such help and advice as she needs from the Weyr; and would be extremely grateful for any such help as well as being willing to pay such expenses as are incurred on his daughter's behalf. Holder Lavaris, Bluefleeces Hold, Ruatha."

"Whoh!" said Varalie "Your family produce Harper Blue?"

Lavanni nodded.

"We run ovines mostly, and there's a small dyercraft hall there. Well, it's Weavercraft of course, but the dyers form the greater part. We grow a lot of blue weed that they turn into blue dye. It's weird stuff; I've seen them lifting it from the dyeing vat and the wool is yellow, then as it dries it becomes a deep rich blue!"

"Now that is weird!" agreed Varalie. "Some craft secrets are pretty bizarre! Alright, now I can run with this letter to show J'frey and he can ask Mardith to bespeak Brieth so H'gey knows" she spoke with more confidence than she felt; but surely H'gey would be glad to help someone else who was crippled?

J'frey read the note and grinned.

"All right shortstuff" he said "But you're not dressed for flying."

She blinked.

"Flying? I – I thought Mardith would talk to Brieth. I didn't think I'd be putting you to the inconvenience of GOING there…"

J'frey laughed.

"It's better put personally. And I thought you'd like to talk to H'gey yourself. On second thoughts, though, your current foster parents might get justifiably upset at you just swanning off to the Weyr as it suited you. I'll take the message and see if anyone can come and talk to you, that do?"

"More than!" gasped Varalie. He grinned and ruffled her hair, and sprang onto Mardith's back.

Varalie met several boys as she left the watch heights; by their dress they were Ranking and presumably the sons or fosterlings of the Hold. They looked as though they had been at some sporting event or class, for they were dishevelled and sweaty.

The oldest of the five laughed unpleasantly.

"Trying to chat up a dragonrider, girlie? He's past it, I'm afraid. If you want a good kissing you could do worse than me!"

Varalie fought the sick feeling in her stomach.

"What do I want kissing for?" she said scornfully "That's for flighty pieces who don't think boys are a waste of space. I was just asking J'frey to convey a message for me to my friends in High Reaches Weyr."

"You've friends in the Weyr? And claim not to like kissing? That's hard to put together!" sneered the boy, starting to move towards her.

"Leave the kid alone" said boy a little younger "You can see she's too young for flirting."

"Yes, or I'll report you for bullying" said the youngest.

Varalie gave them both a grateful look.

"Not that it's any of your business, but a friend from the Harper Hall Impressed while I was there, and his girlfriend has gone for an egg too" she said "I get on well with Lady Kitiara; she's nice. So too is Greenrider T'arla. And I don't think I'll ever want to kiss girls you know."

"If any weyrwhore can be described as 'nice'" said another boy with distaste. He looked much like the youngest; and both resembled Holder Bitrul.

"You have no idea" said Varalie scornfully "All the Riders I know are essentially married."

The boy raised a doubting eyebrow and sneered disbelief.

"She's right, Matrul" said the one who had suggested leaving her alone. "Nothing wrong with the women of High Reaches these days; it was only the ones your grandsire corrupted."

Matrul turned on him.

"You'll pay for that Sebet!" he hissed. "Then I'll teach this –whatever she is – a thing or two!"

Varalie was really scared. It looked as though a fight was going to break out; and she likely to be dragged into it at the pleasure of this little snot!

Sebet grinned.

"Pay? For your grandsire's indiscretions? I don't somehow think so" he said lazily. "Bend a tail, wherry brain! You'd never fight me, I lick you in practice, wrestling or with a sword and you don't like pain!" he grinned reassuringly at Varalie. "My name's Sebet, lady, and I apologise for my companions!"

Where the first two had looked at her plain gown and taken her for a relative menial, Sebet could obviously see by her bearing and manner she considered herself their equal.

"APOLOGISE? That's out of line to some serving wench!" said the first, oldest speaker.

"You bend a tail too, Ketse" said Sebet. "The female fosterlings are none of your business and you can't throw your weight around at them; whatever you do with your weight on Sifella. You're the new girl, aren't you? Have you met Sifella?" he addressed the question to Varalie. She nodded.

"I'm Varalie from Pook's Pass Hold" she said "And yes, I've met Sifella. She's prettier than I am and richer, but I'm cleverer and with nicer manners, so I win on points."

Sebet grinned and so did the younger of Bitrul's sons. The fifth boy of the group still seemed to trying to work out what was going on. He grinned rather fatuously and held out a hand.

"Reckon you're lucky to know some dragonriders!" he said. "Name's Avor. Handy for getting lifts, huh?"

"Oh I don't think…" started Varalie

"Heh, kid's too polite to treat dragons as drudges" said Sebet. "right Biron?"

The youngest boy grinned.

"Not naming any names but didn't Ketse's family demand lots of dragon flights until the resident Rider withdrew his services?" he said blandly.

The oldest made a move towards him.

Sebet held up a finger and tutted.

"Not while I'm the toughest, laddie-buck" he said. "Lady Varalie, shall I escort you back to the other girls?"

"I'd like that" she said. "And perhaps, uh, Biron might come too as I've met Mallitta and made friends with her and it'd be nice to meet her next brother too."

Ketse made a disgusted noise.

"Thought she was older than that" he muttered.

Varalie was glad for him to think her nearer Mallitta in age than the others! The way he had looked at her was frankly terrifying; and she was glad too that she had Rank to avoid his attentions!

"She's a good kid" Biron assured Varalie of his sister. "Should have been a boy."

Varalie chuckled.

"Perhaps she should go to the Weyr when she's a bit older and try for a Green!" she suggested.

Biron rolled his eyes.

"Don't suggest it! She's quite capable of going as soon as she could cadge a lift from old J'frey or stow away in a tithe bin!" he said. "Have you met our oldest brother yet as well as the girls and us two younger ones? He does a man's work does Bimall, so I guess you won't have."

Varalie shook her head.

"I've not had the honour" she said, recalling that J'frey had made favourable comments on the oldest son.

"He'll appreciate a fosterling with a clever tongue!" said Biron. "He lets me help him sometimes, he's busy looking into ways of improving the Hold without getting father too apoplectic over change."

That said a lot about both father and son!

_A/N woad, Isatis tinctoria, does indeed come out of the dye bath yellow and turns blue in the presence of air. I'm assuming woad, which produces a bright permanent blue, would be what would be used for Harper Blue as every description I have read of it is in keeping with the use of woad. Ruatha's limestone uplands are perfect for its growth._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Lady Mallene heaved a sigh of relief as Varalie returned with the two boys.

"Oh THERE you are, Varalie! Where have you been?"

Varalie looked surprised.

"First up to the watch heights to ask J'frey to pass a message to my friends in the Weyr" she said "It's not due for Threadfall for four days, there was no risk me going out."

"Well…no. You had no trouble?" she shot a quick, interrogative look at her youngest son.

Biron grinned.

"You mean, were Ketse and Matrul obnoxious to her? Yes; and Setrul and I decided to to be nice and bring her down as she's too much a lady to call them all the things she was plainly thinking of them."

Mallene tutted.

"Your bother is going through an awkward age…."

"My brother's been going through an awkward age all his life, mother dear. Varalie isn't going to fall for him and let him make her miserable, are you Var?"

Varalie shook her head emphatically.

"I'm not old enough to fall for ANYONE" she said vehemently "And certainly not someone I don't even like, so sorry, ma'am."

Mallene raised sardonic eyebrows.

"Oh nobody can like everyone" she said. "Well, I suppose it'll be harder when it falls on you from the blue then" she added cryptically. "I was concerned you'd gone off on some harum-scarum caper suggested by Jerissa."

Varalie blinked.

"Does she suggest harum-scarum ventures? She said she goes out walking and climbing and that she'd like a companion sometimes….but that seemed normal enough."

Mallene heaved a sigh.

"If only that were all she'd do….she almost broke her leg climbing an unsafe cliff because she swore that a local firelizard had clutched. There may be no river eating into those cliffs nowadays, but it doesn't mean they're all safe!"

Varalie was nonplussed.

"Isn't she a little old to be that daft?" she said, mildly. "I'd swear she was as old as me, around fifteen turns."

"She's a turn your senior" said Mallene tartly. "And you could choose a better friend than her. But if you're steady…and you sound it by your shock….your grandfather never mentioned Weyr friends." It was almost an accusation.

Varalie sighed.

"He never troubled to find out any friends I made in the Harper Hall" she said bitterly; and told her story once again, about H'gey and the Harperweyr.

Mallene's face cleared.

"Ah, I see! Well, to my mind there's nothing wrong with such informed friendships; and I see you're not in love with any of the dragonmen, which is just as well, or I'd have to find a tactful way of banning correspondence, for Hold cleaves to Hold and Weyr to Weyr."

"Madam" said Varalie, lifting her chin "If any of my friendships were banned, I'd be forced then to use pretext of Search to go as is my Right to the Weyr; and if necessary drudge in the Harperweyr if no other position of work were open to me there. It's a matter of principle."

Mallene looked at her aghast.

"There'll be no need to do anything that drastic" she said caustically "For I said I saw no harm in such friendships; and there is no need to ban them while they remain light and unimportant."

Varalie felt her eyes narrow slightly.

"I understand fully the problems caused by Lord Meron and Weyrwoman Kylara" she said "And that any of the Blood who would seek romance with weyrfolk must of necessity renounce other Rank. But I do not consider any friendship pledged to, to be unimportant, and my friends I pick where I will; and if I choose unwisely it I who gets hurt. Oh, and on the subject of Weyrfolk, are there leathers here that will fit me to walk sweep?" she thought THAT would divert the subject!

It certainly did; and Mallene gave a gulp of horror.

"Walk SWEEP? But you're a girl!"

Varalie forbore to congratulate her on her biological perspicacity; and gave what she hoped was a nonchalant shrug.

"Oh, I learned how and became accustomed at the Harper Hall; Kitiara taught me. She's Lord Groghe's granddaughter and he says, Blood obligates. So I was assuming I'd walk sweep here now I'm over fifteen. Do not the other girls join your sons and the other boys then?" she asked with well simulated surprise.

"Certainly not! And I'm surprised at the Masterharper for making you!" Mallene sounded indignant.

"Oh he doesn't MAKE us. Such things are optional of course, as it is for the apprentices. I think he's pleased if any of us know our duty though" said Varalie. "Lord Groghe expects it of all his relatives of course; being of the Blood and respectful of the Charter." In truth, she would concede the victory to the Lady if she chose to forbid it; but she found she wanted to prove herself again! Despite here initial reaction to Thread and her declaration that she would not repeat the experience the first time, she had been out once more at the Harper Hall. That had, in some ways, been scarier; for Kitiara had been visiting her parents at the time. She had been fortunate to have been seen by Lord Groghe, who appreciated women of spirit and he invited her to walk with his party and had treated her to redfruit and almond slices and klah afterwards.

"I suppose you've met Lord Groghe to hear his comments?" Mallene was sceptical.

"Only once, I joined his sweep party. Merga is so sweet and so brave, flying up to flame at Thread!" there was no denying the wistful tone in the girl's tone; nor the honesty in her face. Mallene grunted. The girl had more powerful contacts than at first she had realised!

"Firelizards? Stupid creatures if you ask me" she said. "None of OUR children will have good marks wasted on eggs, I can tell you – and your grandfather sensible about that too! It only encourages girls to get silly about dragons!"

Varalie wisely kept her mouth shut about how much more wonderful dragons were than firelizards; and let herself be chivvied into going to wash for the evening meal!

Varalie had the opportunity to meet Bimall, the Holder's oldest son at the meal. He was uncommunicative until he had wolfed down a leg of roast wherry and it's accompanying tubers and greens. Then he smiled at her.

"Welcome to our Hold, er, Varlai?"

"Varalie"

"Varalie! I'll try to remember. First time away from home?" he sounded sympathetic. Sifella, who had been trying to distract his attention from his food – with a marked lack of success – scowled, failing to see that any oldest son must treat a new fosterling with common courtesy. Varalie grinned.

"No, sir, I've been at the Harper Hall learning music" she said. "My grandfather thought it would save him paying a Harper, but he's wrong. For that he should have apprenticed me properly to learn real Harper skills not how to play pretty tunes."

Bimall looked at her anew and grinned.

"And so you'll tell him? And by the way, what is this 'sir' business?"

"I already did tell him. He was not best pleased and said I'd better marry well instead if I'd wasted a turn of time and his money – I wasted, you notice, in HIS mistake – and so I'm supposed to be making contacts. I don't want to get married. As to calling you 'sir' it appears to me that you have an air of authority that demands it from those of us of more tender turns."

"Well I don't think I suit the title; I'm only twenty one myself."

"Oh, on the verge of senility surely?" grinned Varalie.

Bimall's father broke in.

"If your grandfather wants you to marry, my girl, it would be undutiful to refuse."

"Why sir? The future succession is assured in my cousin and his young son. I'm just so much makeweight as my grandfather has always called me. He cannot expect me to give him willing duty when his duty to me has always been grudging and minimal. Respect goes two ways; and has to be earned."

"Pert chit! I don't want another word out of you!" said the Holder.

Varalie inclined her head icily.

Bitrul stared at her.

"Well? Aren't you going to apologise?" he demanded.

Varalie turned to Mallene and mimed pointing at Bitrul, and putting a finger across her lips and gave a confused shrug.

Bitrul went purple; and Mallene hid a smile.

"My Lord, you did tell the girl that you did not want another word out of her" she said dryly. "You cannot then expect her to court punishment by speaking up. She DID bow acknowledgement."

Bitrul scowled and pursed his lips.

"In my opinion, your grandfather was too lenient on you!" he growled.

Varalie thought of the beatings she had earned for her little acts of defiance and inwardly shuddered.

Marriage was likely to bring her into a family as hidebound and rigid.

The Weyr was looking a more and more attractive prospect!

Varalie had been used to if not a dormitory of silly chattering girls then a gathering of them in the Harper Hall; and proposed to ignore the others.

Lavanni's

"Hssst!" however had Varalie quickly at her crippled friend's side.

"Are you all right?"

Lavanni nodded.

"Relga sleeps in with us….she's pleased you're kind to me, so nobody can do anything to you."

"What do you mean?"

"Sifella's been known to twist arms and things…when she tried on me, Relga picked her up and made it graphically clear if she carried on she'd stuff the horrid girl's head down the necessary. Relga's mute, but she can make her meaning clear. So Sifella won't do anything to you 'cos Relga won't let her!"

Varalie turned to the huge woman, protectively kneeling by Lavanni's bed.

"My thanks, Relga" she said.

It was the first time she had seen any expression on the giant woman's face; Relga beamed.

"People just see her as a part of me" said Lavanni sadly "Partly because she can't talk. I think you must be the first person – apart from family of course – to talk to her as a person."

"Huh" said Varalie "People are pretty rotten. I wish we could all three go to the Weyr; I bet it would be better there."

"I wish I could go home" said Lavanni "I know they're good to cripples in the Weyr, but dragons really scare me."

Varalie stared.

Then she remembered how Asrina and Tireena had screamed so at Brieth; and him only a baby!

Presumably some people were just born silly; and she must try not to think any the less of Lavanni for it!

The next few days settled into a routine involving basic lessons in the morning, mostly with the Hold Harper who taught Duty Songs, History, Singing and Dancing – which Lavanni watched wistfully and Mirinda and Sifella excelled at. Sifella made a passing comment to Mirinda that the cripple was taking up space that could be used for dancing. Varalie exchanged a look with Jerissa and turned to wink at Lavanni. She danced well enough, at least competently; and had learned enough about rhythm in the Harper Hall to carefully miss every beat by just enough to completely throw Mirinda and Sifella! Rulene scarcely noticed; she danced with great exuberance and no skill at all! As the boys had joined them for this, Sifella got crosser and crosser for being made to look so foolish!

Jerissa was in almost helpless giggles, the Harper was fighting to disentangle the sabotaged figures and Lavanni was covering a smirk that animated her rather peaked little face!

Relga smiled approval on Varalie for so entertaining her darling and irritating one she disapproved of.

Sebet leaned over and murmured,

"You're a bad girl"

"Me, Sebet? I can't help having two left feet!"

"Funny how they came on suddenly after Sifella started making poisonous comments."

"Mmmm….must be something catching" said Varalie brightly, flailing wildly out of the do-se-do with Sebet to catch Sifella on the ear with an outflung hand. "WHOOPS!"

Sifella glowered at her; but could not be sure it had been intentional!

"Watch what you're doing you useless brat!" she growled "You're clueless!"

"Oh but we're here to learn, aren't we?" said Varalie. "It's such fun but not so easy as it looks by any means!

The afternoons were spent embroidering or riding; Varalie had nothing to be ashamed of in her sewing; and rode adequately. Predictably Sifella used riding as an opportunity to show off her legs in the divided skirts many felt necessary for a modest woman to wear to ride. Varalie was stared at scandalised when she emerged in trews and a tunic.

"My dear, isn't that a trifle…immodest?" said Mallene.

Varalie gave her an impatient look.

"Madam, your Hold may be wealthy enough for its womenfolk to drift indolently and uselessly around in fancy skirts all the time; in Pook's Pass we have to do a stroke of work or two and muck in with the men where skirts are ridiculous and divided skirts more a hindrance than anything else. I'd hate to shear a llama wearing skirts. As for riding, well you have a more southerly location than Pook's Pass and warmer winds up from the Big Bay. Trews keep out all the draughts and moreover don't blow up to reveal bare legs immodestly like some people's wide divided skirts do" she added looking at Sifella who counted on just that happening. "If it's good enough for my mother and grandmother it's certainly good enough for me."

"You're a stubborn little piece" said Mallene.

"Only over the things I believe strongly in" said Varalie. "I'm tractable enough over most rules, even silly ones unless I feel it's a rule that encroaches on personal autonomy or is over something important."

"Well, if you've no divided skirt or riding habit I suppose it will have to do" said Mallene, clearly not happy. "We can make you something suitable."

"This is suitable" said Varalie. "Unless you care to mock Journeyman Menolly or most weyrwomen as well as all my female forbears; to mock the honour of a tiny Hold is something I suppose can be done with relative impunity but I should think THEY'd have something to say about it."

"My dear girl, I do not seek to mock you!"

"Then pray do not call my clothing unsuitable" Varalie put up her head proudly. "I have my honour as much as anyone."

"Well…very well!" Mallene was nonplussed; that the girl should take such proud offence over a comment designed to rescue her from the shame of wearing such garments was not what she had expected!

Varalie bowed curtly at Mallene's acquiescence.

In truth the trews she wore were baggier and the tunic longer than people like Menolly or Kit or T'arla wore; and she longed with all her heart to have the opportunity to dress like them! It would be nice to have rich brocades too, of course; but Kit did dress up very finely when she wanted to, and she knew that weyrwomen often wore fine gowns too at hatchings and gathers; so there was no reason not to hanker after finery and trews both! Not that she was ever likely to get the finery; but if, one day, she went to the Weyr being comfortable all the time was probably better than being fine!

Sebet looked approval on her garb.

"More practical by far" he said "Ruathan women always wear trews to ride, Mallene, there's nothing made of it at all; it's only in the more out of the way corners of Pern that any crackdust is made about common sense. Do you ride well?" – this last to Varalie.

Varalie shot him a look – echoed by Mallene – to see if he meant any innuendo; but his face appeared quite guileless.

She shrugged.

"Well enough to get from place to place. I'm more used to llamas."

"Ah, you'll not improve on a ride from thoroughbred runners" said Sebet "Which these are certainly not" he added in an undertone "Though I suppose they're well enough."

Varalie shrugged.

"They get one from place to place" she said indifferently.

"Shards! Is that all you think of Runners? 'tis plain you've not had a good one under you then!" said Sebet.

The boy was definitely runnermad. Varalie shrugged again and smiled vaguely. If he hoped to get her into a conversation about the animals she was utterly indifferent to, he was sadly mistaken!

Judging by Sebet's scathing comments about the bad seats and horrible hands of the others he obviously considered anyone who was a poor rider was not worth knowing. He approved of Varalie's seat and the fact that she did not even bother to use her hands; she had learned to ride at an early age using her legs to control whatever beast she be mounted on and often as not carrying a child or some other load as no cart could traverse the steep tracks around her home Hold. Those who did not have a good seat came off. It did not, however, seem to Varalie to be a good way to judge a person.

"Lavanni has never had the opportunity to ride let alone learn a good seat" she said tartly to Sebet. "Do you then despise her too for something she cannot help?"

"Shards, of course not!" said Sebet. "Poor kid, not being able to ride – it must be terrible!"

"Not being able to sing is to my mind more terrible – poor Relga" said Varalie. "Singing is pleasure; riding is just a tedious duty. And not all here have grown up with the same opportunities as you have to learn – and that's not THEIR fault either. I've been twice before on a runner beast; I grew up riding llamas and asses."

"You'd never think it" he said "You've nice light hands and don't use them much. It's people who won't make an effort to make it easier for the mount that I despise."

Try as she might, Varalie could not make him see that the instinct to know when the posture was right was not born in everyone; and she gave up, going to ride by Avor who was pleasant in a vacuous sort of way and rode with the grace and facility of a sack of firestone.

She was disappointed in Sebet; he had seemed a nice boy, but obviously he too had his bigotries!

"And I have mine" she admitted to herself "But I don't let Lavanni's fear of dragons stop me being friends with her, or respecting her patience and bravery in other ways."

She had been muttering under her breath and Sifella said scornfully,

"Talking to yourself?"

"Maybe there's nobody else around worth talking to" retorted Varalie "Or maybe I just talk to dragons. Shall I call one in to chase you? You'd have less fancy a seat on a runaway beast."

Sifella gave her a horrified look; but reined in and sheered off!

Varalie grinned. With her Weyr connections, nobody knew just what she might do; and she had not actually lied!

If Sifella believed she spoke to dragons, that would keep the nasty tunnel snake out of her hair when Relga was not around as a protectress!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Thread fell!

Most of the girls withdrew, some weeping, to an interior room; Varalie went into the eating and meeting hall where the volunteers to walk sweep assembled. Holderfolk stared at her; and a few gave her a ragged cheer! Varalie smiled and inclined her head in acknowledgement, hoping she had not blushed too deeply!

Not all the male fosterlings had assembled with the Ranking; or even Bitrul's middle son. Ketse was there and Sebet – who gave her a 'thumbs up' – Bimall and Biron. Also several older cousins of the same line but not – as their knots showed – of the immediate family.

Bimall was talking in low, serious tones to Biron; Varalie caught some of it.

"….proud of you; but don't try to show off. It'll be fine."

Varalie walked over.

"The only people who have accidents usually are those who either panic or who lark about or show off" said Varalie. "It's not like we go out until leading edge is well past; we're not expected to flame it out of the air like weyrlings are" she was repeating the lessons Kit had taught her. "Your first time?" she asked.

Bimall swung round at the sound of her voice.

"Varalie? Surely you're not walking sweep!"

"Why not? Doesn't it behove anyone who can face it to support the good work of the dragonriders? I'm not a useless piece of goods like some I could mention" she retorted tartly.

Bimall blinked.

"Well, I suppose if you put it like that…." He swung round and gave his brother a hard stare.

"No it's NOT to impress her" Biron correctly interpreted his brother's thoughts "I just felt shamed that she would and has and I haven't yet. Is all."

Bimall nodded.

"I AM proud of you, lad" he said. "ALL right people, let's shape up and ship out; siren's been and gone and the ten minute sand has run through!" he added raising his voice to rally all his people.

Bimall seemed to lead the holderfolk for this rather than his father, conspicuous by his absence; and somehow Varalie realised that she was not in the least surprised.

Leading edge was past; the trailing edge mostly over. Pockets of isolated Thread fell desultorily high above, blown out of pattern by breezes. In the sky flew the staggered formation of the mopping up wing that flew in the lazy-S formation, dealing with those isolated clumps. The dragons could not be distinguished as individual colours, or even easily identified as dragons so high they were; but every now and then a puff of bright flametold more clearly than the small silhouettes where they were. It was a windy day, the worst conditions for fighting Thread, and the tiny figures seemed to veer from time to time under the buffeting onslaught of crosswinds. One shape disappeared, and the following one dove slightly to take the gout of Thread that had sent the other pair briefly _Between_. Varalie's heart was in her mouth but the dragon winked back on station in instants, flaming again.

To the east, the massed ranks of Telgar Weyr's fightling wings would be taking over leading edge shortly as it passed over the borders of Nabol into Crom; and soon the main wings of High Reaches Weyr would be turning for home. T'bor flew ten wings at a time, each of eighteen dragons, the second two flights coming in below and behind the first to change in halfway through Fall so there were fresh Riders and dragons. High Reaches had built up numbers enough to do that; and had a safety record such that these wings were generally full. Only the Queens at lower level and the Bronze Rider Flight leaders and T'bor himself remained throughout Fall; the female Green Riders of the Queens' wing were also exchanged. Most weyrs flew only half their Green dragons at once, changing them half way through; but with a good complement of dragons, T'bor like to change all but the strongest, maintaining that tiredness caused as many accidents as Thread itself. Of this, Varalie know nothing; only that the dragons performed an intricate and life-preserving dance way above her, and she must do her bit by destroying Thread on the ground, and she must concentrate on that, not on dragons.

Soon the girl asked Bimall

"Was that a light Fall do you think?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, investigating the base of a bush and moving on satisfied.

"There's hardly any Thread down here" she had easily destroyed a few squirmy grey clumps before it formed tunnels.

Bimall laughed.

"That's High Reaches for you" he said "There's rarely much; it's actually worse today than it sometimes is because of the wind. They're the best. Look, the Queens' wing is returning!"

Varalie was glad that he too had a barely suppressed note of excitement in his voice at the thought of watching dragons. The great Golden Queens streaked over, three of them, followed by a flight of Greens and a few Blues and Browns that had protected them.

One of the Queens, the smallest, dropped out of formation and with a neat wingover headed down towards the Hold, accompanied by an attendant Green.

"Fardles, I wonder what's wrong" muttered Bimall.

Varalie neither knew nor cared – they were beautiful! She took her mind of dragons to complete clearing her sector, looking intently for Threadburn holes in leaves that could indicate Thread that had fallen through to lurk in roots beneath. The thought of the sight of the squirming masses made her belly squirm almost as much with distaste, her guts twisting like Thread around the central knot of what went beyond fear. But it was just a feeling, to be ignored, while she did her job. One of the field labourers in the adjacent section grinned at her.

"Grubs don't grow fat under High Reaches skies!" remarked that worthy, referring to the grubs that were being introduced slowly across Pern to eat Thread in the ground.

"I'd rather have undernourished grubs and clear fields than see them grow fat" said Varalie. "With rich fields of crops as you have here I reckon it must be a comfort to have such good cover."

The labourer nodded.

"Ar, we bless T'bor, him and his people, for our bread and vegetables" he said seriously, before turning away to check another strip of his sector.

Varalie reflected that the men who walked sweep to keep the lands they farmed clear were the ones most likely to be grateful to dragonkind. The ones who scringed themselves away behind shutters would not face the fear for themselves but were often willing enough to take dragons for granted and whine at the least perceived infraction!

When she had finished checking her sector Varalie went over towards where Bimall was talking to the two weyrwomen. She recognised one straight away as T'arla, H'gey's friend from the Harperweyr; and by the flaming red hair the other could only be T'lana, T'rin's Queenrider foster mother.

Bimall had turned to point out Varalie; and T'arla grinned at her.

Varalie hastened over.

"Queenrider….at your service! T'arla, good to see you again" she said "How is, er, Frith?"

T'arla made approving noises.

"Well remembered, youngster" she said. "She's all good."

She was not so many turns older than Varalie; though somehow the almost patronisin appellation was not so galling coming from a dragonrider. T'arla had fought Thread; that gave her seniority over anyone who had not!

T'arla went on,

"You'll be pleased to know that K'iara Impressed Idrith, a fine little Green. Hatching was yesterday."

It took Varalie a moment to realise that Kitiara was now contracted to the honorific K'iara.

"Oh!" she said "How wonderful! You'll give her my congratulations, won't you?"

"Most certainly" said T'arla "Now, business…I come to point you out to T'lana, expecting to have to go inside because I wasn't sure if they'd let you…."

Varalie grinned.

"I had to talk fast" she said.

"Not all the time in Dunca's cot wasted then, huh, to pick up some Harper tricks?" teased T'arla.

"I wish! No, I'm not good enough for an apprenticeship. Music I love but I know enough to know I haven't got what it takes."

The little red haired weyrwoman spoke up.

"And sometimes admitting to that takes more guts than trying too hard. We've come about your friend's need for a chair."

Varalie brightened.

"Truly? A Queenrider? We're honoured!"

"I'm nosy" she said "As well as having been the first to build such a chair for my fosterling Sh'rilla, that H'llon has refined beyond my expectations. But we've a child in the Weyr with what seems to be a similar condition – his parents couldn't care for him and their other children, and they did fardling well to raise him as they did – and I was hoping your friend would talk to me about her experiences so we can use that to help him, and others, and by that she may pay for our building the chair."

"Oh, that's excellent!" cried Varalie. "Come in and meet her!"

T'lana grinned.

"Stinking of flamethrower fuel? I don't think the Lady of the Hold will thank us! I just wanted to meet you – and tell you we'll be in on the morrow, early if that's not inconvenient?"

"Bimall?" asked Varalie "I can't agree on behalf of your parents."

"My parents will always be honoured for our Hold to receive any dragonriders at their convenience" said Bimall, a little sardonically.

T'lana gave him a quick, searching glance that read a lot more than he had said.

"How splendid" she said with equal irony and in exactly the same tone of voice. "Varalie, J'frey thought you Impression material; and I might even have rushed out for you when the humming started yesterday, having talked with him the day before, only it seemed a little discourteous to rush you so….and not quite right. One goes on feelings, you know."

Varalie nodded.

"Besides, I'd not like to abandon Lavanni to a flock of silly wherries, half of whom peck" she said bluntly. "She's afraid of dragons so she wouldn't go to the Weyr. Silly, but there you are."

"You're evidently not afraid of dragons then?"

"What's to be afraid of? They're our protectors."

T'lana nodded approval.

"Well, Tamalenth rose not long ago, and it was a good flight with Esruth" she said "She'll be egg heavy soon enough. Will you come then?"

Varalie hesitated.

"Unless Lavanni is upset by the idea" she said.

T'lana nodded.

"Understood. I like your loyalty, dear one. That's settled then, and you can consider yourself weyrfolk."

"Even if I don't Impress I could drudge in the Harperweyr" said Varalie. "I'm a competent seamstress and I know how to clean. I can also spin and weave a little."

T'lana and T'arla exchanged looks.

"She'll do!" they said in unison.

When the weyrfolk had gone – each kissing Varalie on the cheek – Bimall asked, bewildered,

"Chair?"

"H'gey has a wheeled chair to get around. He broke his back. And Queenrider Sh'rilla has one too – the one that's Queenrider T'lana's fosterling – and they have special dragonback chairs too. I guess her Queen was the one with the extra fighting strap" said Varalie.

"I hadn't noticed" said Bimall. "And they'll make one of these wheeled chairs for Lavanni? Even though she's not weyrfolk?"

"Dragonriders are supposed to help people" said Varalie "They protect and serve; H'gey said so often enough before he Impressed. He had a chair when he was still Horgey; though I think he might be weyrbred. And you heard what Queenrider T'lana said, that Lavanni's experience can help a weyr fosterling."

Bimall shook his head in wonderment.

"They do a lot at High Reaches" he said "And shame the rest of us who hold back from doing more" he added bitterly.

Varalie touched his arm.

"I'm sure they appreciate just WHO puts in hard work" she said. "They, after all, see who leads sweep, time after time; dragons know."

"Hmph" said Bimall. It was an equivocal noise.

How happy or otherwise Holder Bitrul might be or not to have a Queenrider visiting one of his fosterlings, he put a good face upon it; and managed a fixed smile of what he fondly hoped would pass as affection at Varalie instead of his usual disapproving frown. Apart from finding the frown less intimidating, Varalie worried that it might make his face crack into shards like a hatching egg!

"Our Hold is honoured to have a fosterling with such exalted and illustrious friends" said Bitrul. "You did not tell my wife that your weyrfriends were so important!"

"I DID tell her that I knew some of the Harperweyr and their kin" said Varalie "Weyrwoman T'lana is the fostermother of one of the senior Weyrharpers and I think she's also fostered the Journeyman who used to teach us girls at the Harper Hall."

As R'gar claimed that his mercurial little weyrmate was inclined to foster everyone at High Reaches who needed a little extra love, this guess was not so far out; and certainly T'rin had come to view H'gey as a foster brother!

"If you had told me you had friendships with weyrwomen I should have disapproved less" said Mallene.

"I DID tell you!" said Varalie. "I can't help it if you were more concerned about me getting wherry-headed over a male Rider than in listening. I TOLD you about T'arla and K'iara – Lady Kitiara as was – and I hadn't then met Queenrider T'lana, though of course I knew a lot about her, she's best friend to another granddaughter of Lord Groghe and when she was ill, the apprentices I saw most of helped oil her Queen, Mirrith. What's the big deal?"

Bitrul started to glare at her impatient tone but swopped it to his fixed and glassy smile that made him look as if he was in the advanced stages of rigor mortis.

Mallene laughed. It was a slightly forced laugh.

"I suppose if you're used to having weyrfolk as friends, it is no big deal! My dear, I'm just too used to having silly fosterlings whose sole purpose in life is to climb into the furs of a handsome Bronze Rider."

Varalie frowned in thought.

"Oh I see. Well, apart from the fact that I think that most of the Bronze Riders are effectively married, I guess such daft girls haven't thought it through; because weyring with a dragonman also means getting up to give him klah at half past way too early in the morning when he goes to fly Thread, putting up with the stink of firestone when he returns and is too tired to bathe until he's had an hour's sleep; and then having to launder whatever he slept on. And then of course there's slathering numbweed on all the unromantic places he can't reach for himself."

Mallene stared, then laughed a genuine laugh of sheer amusement.

"My dear, how terribly prosaic! I shall use that, if I may, next time I get a love struck fosterling!"

Varalie grinned.

"Be my guest. I've been invited on Search next time there's a clutch, by the way, so if I get lucky I'll be learning a lot more about the unromantic sides of dragons. At least I've helped care for a dragonet so I know how unromantic it is to administer purgative to a tail-thickened baby dragon."

Mallene blinked.

"Oh yes, your Journeyman tutor's dragon. Well, I suppose if you go to the Weyr with your eyes open and no foolish notions….this chair for Lavanni. We have never heard of such a thing, and I doubt her parents had either."

"No, how should they if they' d no contact with High Reaches?" said Varalie. "I understand T'lana invented it originally for a fosterling of hers who lost the use of her legs; and their resident woodcrafter has refined it, so I guess it's known of in Lemos; but the more people who need then have them, the more the idea will spread and other woodcrafters can make them and cripples will have a better, more independent life. If a Ranking girl has one, it would be an example to the commons" she added craftily.

Mallene smiled.

"Why Bitrul, how excellent" she said to her husband "Our Hold has the opportunity to promulgate a useful idea."

Bitrul, not nearly so clever as his wife, growled

"I still don't like it. Nothing wrong with the old ways. I don't see why it should be changed, encouraging cripples to think they're as good as ordinary folk. Foolish idea not to have smothered the girl at birth if you ask me."

Varalie's eyes narrowed.

Mallene gave a tinkling, very brittle, laugh that did not sound natural.

"Bitrul makes such droll jokes! Of course he doesn't mean it!"

"I hope not" said Varalie "I'm sure Holder Lavaris, Lord Warder Lytol and Lord Holder Deckter would have something to say if he did."

"Bitrul is concerned about weyrfolk taking an interest in Hold business" said Mallene, standing hard on her husband's foot "It makes him say things he does not mean."

"Of course" Varalie forced a smile. She was afraid, suddenly gut-wrenchingly afraid of the look in Bitrul's eyes; afraid that he might make sure that she never had the opportunity to speak to Lavanni's father or to Lord Deckter! "But there is no need" she added "It's not the Weyr taking undue interest; apart from the fact that Lavanni asked her father to ask the Weyr for this, which he did, it's more about people in the Weyr with crippled relations taking an interest in other people in similar case. No politics involved!"

"Of course, dear. QUITE understood!" said Mallene.

Varalie fled as soon as she politely could!


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Varalie grabbed Jerissa and dragged her to where Lavanni sat.

"Listen" she said urgently "If I die it's not an accident!"

"That sounds melodramatic" said Jerissa.

"It FELT melodramatic" said Varalie. She turned to Lavanni. "This is going to be unpleasant to hear" she said "It involves an opinion about cripples."

Lavanni shrugged a thin shoulder.

"I guess I've heard most of the opinions to be heard" she said bitterly.

"All right then" said Varalie. Quickly she outlined what Holder Bitrul had said; and how the murderous look in his eyes had frightened her when she implied the threat to tell Lavanni's father, his overlord and Bitrul's own overlord.

Lavanni looked sick.

"I've never heard it expressed as bluntly as that" she said.

"Send your firelizard to your father" Jerissa suggested "He'll not want you to foster where that sort of thought is in the head of your foster father!"

Lavanni nodded.

"I think I shall. And if others know, it makes Varalie safer – I'll tell Mallene that you told me, Varalie, and hope she tells him. He'll hate you even worse – if that's possible – but at least it won't be to his advantage to kill you. He can't kill all of us without it being noticed!"

"At least wait to ask to be removed until you have your chair!" said Varalie.

"I'll have to" said Lavanni. "It'll take father time to sail up to collect me. But I'll tell him I want to wait for my chair anyhow. If the weyrfolk got your message – and will listen!"

"Oh, I plum forgot!" said Varalie "Weyrwomen T'lana and T'arla stopped after Fall to say they'd come see you tomorrow; they've a baby in the Weyr with your condition and they'd like you to tell them everything you've experienced and that's your payment for the chair!"

Lavanni opened her eyes wide.

"That's all?" she gasped "And oh Varalie! How can you forget meeting weyrwomen?"

"And seeing dragons close to!" said Jerissa.

"I was too angry for Lavanni to care about anything else" said Varalie. "You know. And not a little scared for me too."

On the morrow Varalie waited nervously with her friends for the arrival of the weyrwomen. She had suggested, since the wind had blown itself out and it was a closeish day, that Relga bring Lavanni outside too for some fresh air. Relga approved and carried the crippled girl out, while Jerissa and Varalie lugged a heavy chair between them for her, more hindered than helped by little Mallitta's efforts.

Bitrul had sent a drudge out to watch, so that he might be informed as soon as the dragonriders appeared, and greet them with the necessary deference. The man appointed stared fixedly at the fireheights, half afraid; and Varalie was certain it was fear more of his overlord's wrath if he failed to take a message quickly enough then fear of the dragons.

"They're here" said Jerissa laconically.

Varalie looked at her, startled. Jerissa shrugged.

"I don't hear dragons but I'm aware of them when they come out from _Between_" the girl said.

Varalie nodded to the drudge.

"Go tell him" she said, suppressing the bitter surge of jealously that Jerissa should be able to feel dragons. The drudge ran off, thankfully.

Bitrul was just in time to see Mirrith banking neatly to land in the meadow of the two springs rather than on the fireheights; the field was small and most Queens would have had trouble landing, but Mirrith made light work of it. She was accompanied by a Blue dragon of some considerable size for his colour, who made slightly heavier weather of the landing, Varalie thought. As the Blue Rider dismounted she recognised him from his confident walk as Journeyman Harper T'rin and grinned cheerfully.

She had witnessed at the Harper Hall how T'rin had neatly dealt with the attentions of the girl Asrina, snubbing her mightily by pretending to take her for a loving wench. T'rin was not going to be won over by the likes of Sifella, who had drifted out behind Bitrul in her most becoming gown on the offchance dragonmen would accompany the weyrwoman.

And it was a very becoming gown; Varalie could not deny it. It was a bias-cut bronze green gown of heavily figured velvet, heavily embroidered with deep gold thread that was itself a bronzey colour. Her hair was piled artistically on her head and was held by a clip that was in the shape of Bronze and Gold dragons intertwined. Varalie was uncomfortably aware that she felt a spiteful frisson of pleasure to note that the anatomy of the dragons on the clip was none so accurate.

Rulene had come out with Sifella, also with her hair up; but being Rulene it had been put up in such a hurry that it was now coming down. Varalie thought it was a pity that Rulene could not give up trying to be a lady and wear trews, which would actually be neater. Rulene was the sort of person who was always everywhere – in fact she was not as idle as Varalie had at first supposed, but was a great help to her mother – and would one day make a Holder a good wife if she would only stop diving headlong into doing to think first occasionally. She would make a good practical girl if only she could learn to be even minimally organised and would not then give the appearance of continually running at top speed in order to stay still!

T'lana greeted Holder Bitrul first as was proper.

"Why, quite a reception party" the little weyrwoman said humorously, looking over the Holder, his three sons, two daughters and assorted fosterlings. "And me only coming to see Lavanni! Well, thank you for greeting me, Holder Bitrul, I shan't take up any more of your valuable time, taking you from Hold business!" and she turned away.

It was a plain dismissal and Bitrul's fury was palpable; and yet he could not complain of discourtesy as the sentiments voiced were perfectly reasonable and polite!

"Weyrwoman" Bimall spoke up "My father meant to ask you to dine with us, you and the Blue Rider. Will you?"

T'lana turned back.

"Why, I should have been delighted in the ordinary way, Bimall, but I don't want to stay long, for I'm still breastfeeding my babes. And I don't want to risk going _Between _time in case it curdles the milk."

"DOES it?" asked Varalie, interested; then blushed!

"I don't know" said T'lana "But timing it has serious implications on the health so I'd rather not risk it. You'll be Lavanni?" she addressed the crippled girl in the chair.

Lavanni stuttered her greeting, half a nervous eye on the dragons. T'lana devoted herself to the child; and in moments Lavanni was at her ease, chatting away about what things her parents had done to help her, what mad the pain worse, and how she coped. Varalie admired the little weyrwoman's ability to draw the shy girl out.

T'rin crooked a finger at Varalie and Jerissa.

"You can help me unload Renpeth" he said.

The girls went willingly.

T'rin scrambled up.

"I'll lower, you ease it down" he said, undoing a bundle from the Blue dragon's back.

Obediently the girls eased down the article of wood and wicker.

"A chair? Already?" gasped Varalie. T'rin grinned.

"H'llon started work when the message first arrived" he said "Chivvying all of us who have any woodcrafting ability. I help bend curves, because I've done that a lot crafting instruments."

"Yes, it's jolly hard work" agreed Varalie.

T'rin shot her a look.

"You've crafted instruments? That's not in the usual Ranking girl curriculum."

Varalie flushed.

"Ferry and Shoris and the others showed me how… and Vaek and Braid helped too. I – my Hold is poor, I didn't want to be without marks here and get bullied more for being poor."

T'rin nodded.

"It's not always easy being poorer than everyone around you" he said "Especially when those around you are of the kind that count success in marks. When you come to the Weyr will you craft for our craft stall? We use it to support unwanted kids – like the boy who has the spinal extrusion. Not that his parents don't want him 'cos they do – though plenty don't – but they can't care for him."

Varalie nodded.

"Willingly!" she said.

"Can I come to the Weyr with her?" asked Jerissa.

T'rin surveyed her.

"You've power enough" he said "And you're not afraid of dragons. Not enough at least not to get used to them" for Jerissa had been taken aback at how big Renpeth and Mirrith were close to, but had gulped and come on regardless. "I don't see why not. You'd stand for a Green?"

Jerissa nodded eagerly.

"I'm not sure I'd want the responsibility of being a Queenrider" she said honestly.

T'rin grinned.

"It's good to know your limits" he acknowledged.

They took the chair over to Lavanni in time to hear T'lana asking Relga if she knew the drum measures.

Relga's face lit up.

**DDD**_some_**DDD** she drummed on the palm of her hand.

T'lana smiled.

"Varalie probably knows more than the required measures for the Ranking; she'll have picked them up from T'rin's band of hooligan friends" she said cheerfully "She can show you more to help you communicate with others."

"Oh yes, gladly!" said Varalie "I'm only sorry I didn't think of it myself!"

Lavanni was almost in tears at the kindness shown her and was staring at the chair. Tenderly Relga picked her up and placed her in it.

"It will take some practice moving it yourself" T'lana explained "Both building up strength in your arms and the knack of it. You need to push the wheels round with your hands on the top. You can go to one side by pushing the wheel on the opposite side the way you want to go because" she cleared her throat "You probably don't care about the why and how, at least not at the moment. Anyway, you practice; and Relga and your other friends can use the handles at the back to push you when you're tired."

"Like H'gey" nodded Varalie.

"Exactly" said T'lana "Oh, good news about H'gey; he's now on crutches a lot of the time, and only in the chair when he's really tired. Soon it'll be a spare one for somebody else! Now, my dear one, I have brought something else" she fished a bundle from inside her tunic. "Firelizard eggs. We thought you might find one useful" she nodded to Varalie "And there's another four for those you think should have one."

Varalie gasped.

"But – but that's too valuable a gift!"

T'lana laughed.

"More valuable for us in the Weyr to know that those we trust can pass messages quickly" she said. "And when you come to the Weyr I assure you you'll pay in hard work! We do have a source that is legal, honest!"

Varalie flushed and staggered through several half sentences indignantly repudiating that she had in any way wondered if the source was legal.

"Who are you going to give them to?" demanded Jerissa with cheerful disregard for grammar.

"Well, you and Lavanni have one each anyway" said Varalie "I think….Relga is the obvious choice for one."

Relga looked startled and made deprecating movements with her hands.

"Would you LIKE one?" asked Varalie.

Relga tried to look impassive; and failed; and nodded.

"Then it's settled. A firlelizard can help you, if it's well trained, and Lavanni's Bris is very well trained. Then…." She considered. "I don't think Rulene would look after one properly; Mallitta will you?"

The little girl hopped about in unwonted excitement.

"Oh yes!" she said fervently.

Varalie thought hard.

"The person who could use one most is probably Bimall" she said "And I'd like to give one to Biron, just because I like him. I like Sebet too – mostly – but from what he's said, he despises firelizards; at least he's always making disparaging comments that anyone might prefer them over his pesky runnerbeasts."

"Just because you like someone is a fair reason" said T'lana gravely. "Will there be issues of their safety?"

Varalie opened her eyes wide, shocked but pulled up short.

"There might" she said.

Relga gestured.

"Would you mind?" asked Varalie "It's always warm around Lavanni – that would be ideal!"

"You understand her gestures so quickly?" asked T'lana. Varalie shrugged.

"I'm starting to. With drum measures I'll do better. She suggested keeping them for us because nobody tries anything funny with Relga. Bimall has his own room; he can keep his and Biron's safe enough."

Bimall was awestruck when Varalie brought two egg pots to him and explained that one was for him and one for his youngest brother.

"Why?" he asked. "You haven't mistaken kindly intent on my part for romance have you?"

She shook her head.

"Oh! No! I don't do romance, you know! But I like you and Biron and I think you'd find a firelizard useful. They flame Thread you know."

"My father won't like it."

She giggled.

"He don't have to; I'm not giving HIM one. Don't tell him until you've both Impressed. You can't UNImpress. Surely you have a drudge you trust to keep them warm and prepare meat for you?"

Bimall nodded.

"Yes. Yes, I have. Thank you Varalie; I really appreciate it. Are you going to keep quiet about yours then?"

Varalie nodded.

"Relga's going to hide ours for us; NO-one mucks around with Relga."

Bimall grinned.

"I wonder why!"

Varalie chuckled.

"T'lana said hatching's due in a couple of days; she thought having ones that were due quite quickly was a good idea. Less time for accidents to happen."

"Happen she was right at that" agreed Bimall.

Relga woke Mallitta and Varalie just before dawn with a bowl of meat in her hands, and beckoned them to come along to the bathing room. Bris and Jerissa's blue were busy humming and came to help!

The egg for Varalie had been labelled with her name; and as she watched – not without some trepidation – it rocked violently before breaking open with a SNICK! And a coppery little bronze firelizard emerged!

Varalie fed the little creature, hardly longer than her hand, with meat, small lumps at a time, expressing her love for so beautiful a little creature! At last the little bronze was satiated, and settled to sleep on her forearm, tail wrapped as far about her wrist as it would as yet conveniently reach! Mallitta and Relga wore looks of startled love that Varalie knew lay on her face too; utterly happy with their little green firelizards!

"I shall call you Ket" Varalie informed her new pet "For you're the same colour as the great kettle drums!"

Ket hiccoughed and snored, unmoved by being named.

Mirinda came first into the bathing room while they were still wondering over their little pets.

"Firelizards?" she gasped "You had eggs and you let a fardling DRUDGE have one? That's the outside of enough! I'm going to complain and have it taken off her!"

"You can't" said Varalie "Impression is Impression. And you have nothing to complain about; the eggs were in MY gift to pass out as I chose; and Relga deserves one far more than you – you'd drive it _Between_ 'cos you're not nice. So I didn't want to give you one. And if you even TRY to make trouble, I bet Jerissa and me between us can come up with so many things to make your life a misery you'll wish you'd never come here."

"You bet!" said Jerissa.

"So" sneered Sifella following Mirinda in "How many riders did you have to sleep with to get eggs?"

Varalie looked at her, eyes flashing.

"Shards, Sifella, is sex all you think of? I reckon you must be sex mad! Either that or you can't stop thinking about it 'cos you can't pull and are afraid other people can. Well, for your information, some of us actually don't want to sleep with boys because we've actually got a life!"

Sifella stared open mouthed.

Varalie's tongue was cleverer than hers and the younger girl never reacted as she was supposed to to Sifella's jibes! Far from guilty sounding denials and attempts to justify her weyr friends, this horrid brat made it sound as though Sifella were obsessed with men!

As this was not so very far from the truth, it hurt the more and Sifella flung off in a rage!


	6. Chapter 6

_Thanks as always, Geowyn; yes, Varalie is quite a complex character; I really did enjoy writing this as you have guessed. Exploring the relationships between the girls was one of the things I was looking to do here; and Sifella and Mirinda are certainly paradigmatic of spoilt holderwenches...more anon._

_Hi Guest! ! ! Thanks for reviewing! Sorry you don't like exclamation marks; I however do when I think they're called for! This is called personal taste! Why not copy and paste and use your search and change function to change all the excited little exclamation marks to more sober full stops before reading if you want to read more seriously? That way you can deal with my frivolity without being offended huh? _

_This reply may be a little childish but as I have been reviewed elsewhere by a sick freak hiding in anonymity my opinion of anonymous reviewers without established handles - those who have established handles I respect - is not high. Get a handle, give me balanced complaints of my grammar and I'll give you more respect. I've actually considered disabling the anonymous review function but I am not going to let a sad little twerp spoil things for serious reviewers who want to make a real point but who for some reason do not want to be full members. I am not going to delete Guest's review because it is a valid review even if I think it as frivolous as my exclamation marks. But then I have prejudices over people who can't use semi-colons correctly so I guess we all have grammar prejudices...  
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**Chapter 6**

Bimall and Biron each sported their own firelizards at breakfast, a blue and a brown respectively. Bitrul glared at them; and then again at his younger daughter, Varalie and finally, with the most outraged disbelief, at Relga.

"This is YOUR doing!" he growled, stabbing a finger towards Varalie.

Varalie smiled brightly.

"Yes, isn't it always lovely to do things for the people one likes?" she said. "Giving gifts is so nice!"

"Why haven't I got one? Father, make her give me one! Why them and not me?" Matrul, the middle son was outraged that his younger siblings had firelizards and he did not!"

"NO MORE LIZARDS!" roared Bitrul.

"Going deaf, Matrul?" said Varalie "I said it's lovely to do things for THE PEOPLE ONE LIKES" she raised her voice as to a deaf person. "You were horridly rude to me when we first met and you've never even apologised, and the more I know you the less I like you. That's why. And Rulene's just too scatty."

Rulene at least gave a rueful grin.

"I guess I am" she said regretfully. Varalie gave her a warm smile.

"I don't care! I WANT one!" said Matrul. "Take the one from the drudge, that'll do – or take the bronze from that pert brat!"

"Were you born stupid, Matrul, or did you have to work at it?" said Varalie scornfully. "They're Impressed – you can't take them away. And if you tried, I guess Weyrwoman T'lana who approved my choices – and picked a bronze for me – would be less than happy at you stealing her gift."

"NO MORE TALK OF FIRELIZARDS!" yelled Bitrul "And if I see one of them too close to me I'll wring its fardling neck, see?"

There was a shocked silence.

"They are kin to dragons!" said Varalie. "If you even try, Holder Bitrul, it will be a violation of duty."

"The sooner you go to the Weyr and have your bumptiousness raped out of you the better!" sneered the Holder, forgetting that he was trying to propitiate the Weyr through her. "OW!"

Evidently Mallene had kicked her husband under the table; and the look she gave him boded an argument later!

Varalie shuddered. To be part of such a ménage could well have been her own lot without the invitation to the Weyr! And to look old before your time, even though women of Rank did not suffer that as much as the commons. But Mallene already had grey streaks in her dark hair and lines around her eyes; and with Bimall being twenty one it was unlikely that she could be more than forty turns old. She could be as little as thirty five if married young. True, Bitrul was more unreasonable than most – but the thought of being married to such a man made Varalie shudder!

Jerissa grabbed Varalie's hand after breakfast.

"Say, Varalie!" she whispered "I reckon I know where a lot of local green firelizards nest – what do you say we go looking for them and give the eggs about amongst the Hold drudges? That'd really jerk Bitrul's strings!"

Varalie stopped stock still in horror and stared at her friend.

"Have you run stark raving mad, Jerissa?" she demanded.

"What do you mean? Surely you're not SCARED – and you seemed so game!"

Varalie frowned.

"Yes I AM scared – but not so much of being stuck halfway up crumbling cliffs like I heard some idiot already has been. I'm scared for the poor drudges being punished violently for daring to Impress!"

"Crackdust! He'd never…"

"Did you fail to see how scared that drudge was just at maybe not getting the old fool out in time to greet T'lana?" interrupted Varalie furiously. "He can't touch Relga, she's not HIS drudge, and he dare not annoy Lavanni's father whose drudge she is – even if Bitrul only looks on it as causing inconvenience to a fairly wealthy fosterling. Because Lavanni IS wealthy, her clothes are top quality even if she's not showy like some. THAT's why he hasn't hurt Relga, and the only reason! Shards, Jerissa, you believed me when I told you I feared for my life from him!"

"Well…. I guess. Do you really think he'd think it worth going to the trouble of hurting drudges? That's so undignified!"

"He'd hurt drudges more than anyone – he doesn't HAVE any dignity, only a sense of personal affront! THINK girl! You said yourself it'd jerk his strings; and you've seen him angry but still under Mallene's control. I don't know quite WHAT he's capable of, but he puts me in mind of a girl at the Harper Hall who was so certain of her own rights she attacked a journeyman for stopping her breaking the hands of an apprentice who was cheeky to her because when she was in a rage she just did whatever she felt like – and I'd not want to risk what he might do. To cause trouble for the commons is the worst type of ill breeding, you know."

Jerissa looked a little mulish, but shrugged.

"Well….since you put it that way" she said "I guess I'd better drop the idea."

Varalie heaved a sigh of relief!

There was a big row between Bitrul and Mallene and Bimall; out of which Bimall stormed, tight lipped, his little blue firelizard's eyes whirling orange. The young man caught hold of Varalie in an almost painful grip in his urgency as she was going without enthusiasm to a drawing lesson.

"I talked mother out of being sore at you for concealing the eggs" he said "I blamed a fear of Sifella's jealousy, though we all know it was because of father's antipathy….he's afraid firelizards can read his mind."

"Did you put him right on that? And thanks, by the way!"

"I tried, the trouble with father is that when he's made up is mind he doesn't want to bother with the facts….. I'll miss you when you go to the Weyr, but shards! It'll be quieter!"

"I don't mean to cause disharmony" said Varalie, with what she fondly hoped was dignity "It's here already. Only I seem to resonate with it and bring it out."

He grinned.

"You speak your mind instead of saying one thing and doing another like everyone else has learned to do."

"That'd be SLY! I don't always speak up as it is, and wonder if I ought to!"

"You speak up quite enough" Bimall said hastily "And I like it. I hate sly girls. It just….well, it can cause ructions."

Varalie nodded.

"You'd have thought my grandfather would have beaten it out of me by now, wouldn't you? Trouble is with me, the more I'm beaten the stubborner I get!"

Bimall ground his teeth and muttered something that sounded like 'nasty old fool' and let her go.

Firelizards' hunger disrupted lessons and social activities for several days; and the girls had to rely on Relga using intimidation to get meat as Holder Bitrul decreed that no extra food was to be made available. Relga quickly found that other meat was found when she grabbed a cook's wrist and held it to the table and picked up a cleaver intimating that she would have meat – one way or another.

"Of course she never would have done it" said Lavanni "But they couldn't know that!"

"I'm glad she's our friend!" laughed Varalie "But it will cause the drudges trouble if we can't find another way of feeding our pets. Bitrul has no right; but while we argue that the lizards go hungry."

"We can hunt tunnel snakes" suggested Mallitta "The scaled ones are good eating for humans, and maybe the smooth ones are edible to firelizards. And they like eggs, don't they, if we find nests?"

Varalie and Jerissa voted this a capital good idea, and Mallitta enlisted Biron to help, as he was in the same situation. Bimall's own drudge obeyed the son not the father!

Several tunnel snakes later – Biron was very good at throwing a two-pronged knife to kill them as well as being good at making snares, a skill he readily taught the girls – Jerissa looked thoughtfully at the nest of snake eggs they had found.

"I've got a thought" she said. "Are your lizards all right for food?"

"I'd say so" said Varalie gently stroking Ket's bulging tummy. "And there's enough for a couple of meals."

"Good" said Jerissa "Mind if I keep a few of these eggs?"

"Feel free" said Varalie "Thanks for helping in the hunt; your Pell is established and Bitrul does not ban HIS feeding; he deserves a treat." Bitrul had tried, but Lavanni and Jerissa had asked Mallene how she felt about them reporting to their families about ill-treatment. Mallene had tried to get the ill-considered ban lifted on giving out meat generally, especially as Lavanni seemed to think that hurting Relga caused her distress too; but the kitchen drudges were too afraid of Bitrul, who refused to even listen!

Thus it was Jerissa who caused the next incident, not Varalie.

"Why, Sifella" she said next morning "What HAVE you done to your hair? It looks like green firelizards have nested in it. Why, I do believe they've laid eggs!" she pointed.

Sifella felt her hair and found it in a terrible state – and worse, there were indeed eggs in it!

"It's the lizards of that brat and the drudge!" she shrieked.

"Idiot" said Varalie "Do try not to look even more stupid than you really are – you know firelizards aren't sexually mature for a couple of turns, how do you think hatchlings could lay eggs?"

Sifella glared at her.

"What do YOU suggest happened then?"

Varalie shrugged; though she had a shrewd idea; the eggs were tunnel snake eggs. "Just sort it out or you'll be late for breakfast" she said "I'll help if you like."

"I don't need your help you filthy brat! Keep away from me!"

Any sympathy Varalie might have felt for the state of Sifella's hair promptly evaporated.

"Suit yourself" she shrugged.

She caught up with Jerissa on the way to breakfast.

"How did you keep her lizard from interfering?"

"Bribed him with enough meat he wasn't interested in eating the eggs either. He even helped when Pell got stuck in" she grinned. "Mallitta gave her a dose of fellis in her klah last night, just enough to see her well asleep….what a laugh, eh?"

Varalie shrugged.

"It has its moments. But if she wasn't so unkind herself I'd say it was bullying" she said. "But I can see that you want a slice of own-back pie."

"Spoilsport" said Jerissa.

It had been funny; but Varalie felt rather disturbed that a girl as old as Jerissa was still engaging in practical jokes; and she hoped that Jerissa would NOT Impress when they were taken for hatching – unless she grew up a lot in the meantime! Still, that was one of the things weyrling training was for; and maybe it would do Jerissa good to have her surplus energy channelled! She was heedless and thoughtless, but had at least been willing to listen about not getting the drudges into trouble.

Those with firelizards to feed blatantly took time off the lessons they found most tedious to hunt food for their little pets; and had to listen to a scolding from Mallene.

"But if we can't feed our pets legitimately, what are we supposed to do, Mallene?" said Varalie, reasonably. "Now I could complain to T'lana I suppose, and have the Weyr go to Lord Deckter that your husband does not do his duty by dragonkin; or I can hunt tunnel snakes to feed Ket and avoid a nasty confrontation, since I'm never going to use the skill of drawing in my life. We were just trying to be tactful!"

Mallene gave her a searching look.

"You'll have sufficient meat provided" she said grimly.

What arguments Mallene used could not be known; but Holder Bitrul sulkily withdrew his injunction and meat was put aside for all the firelizards including those of his own children.

Without the diversion of tunnel snake hunting, Jerissa's wildness broke out again.

She had been muttering frequently about how stifled she felt in the Hold, Bitrul's angry and forbidding mien doing nothing to help. Varalie had shrugged; they must make the best of it, and at least had Lavanni's chair and with it the excuse to walk out on long walks to give Lavanni fresh air.

Varalie awoke one night to notice that Jerissa was not in her bed. Assuming at first that she had gone to the necessary, Varalie snuggled back down; and awoke from a doze some time later to find that her friend had not returned. Varalie arose and pulled on a robe and slippers and padded off to the necessary in case Jerissa had been taken ill, accompanied by Ket giving little chirps of enquiry.

Jerissa was not in the necessary; and Varalie was considering sending Ket to look for her when she heard Mallene's angry voice in the corridor.

"So who were you meeting my girl? You tell me that!"

"I wasn't meeting anyone, Mallene" it was Jerissa's voice, and indignant. "I went to dance in the light of the two moons!"

"Don't you lie to me!"

A little cry of pain in Jerissa's voice.

"I'm not lying! Why would I want to meet anybody? There's nobody in the whole of crummy Nabol Hold I'd care to talk too – except Varalie and Lavanni and Relga and they don't belong in this rotten hole either!"

There was the sound of a slap.

Varalie walked out of the door.

"I consider it remarkably unfair to doubt Jerissa's veracity Mallene" she said. "Surely you're used to her crazy starts by now? I don't see it at all strange that she should wish to dance by moonlight and get out of the stifling atmosphere engendered by this unpleasant place. As she says, who on Pern would she be likely to meet?"

Mallene pursed her lips.

"Some ne'er do well; or a dragonrider; or something" she said.

Varalie shrugged.

"She's coming to the Weyr with me in a few short months. If she felt a pressing need to meet a dragonrider I'm sure she had only to ask through J'frey. And, little idiot as she undoubtedly is at times, she's not so daft as to be taken in by a professional seducer. I doubt she'd even recognise a well turned attempt to seduce in any case and would giggle at anyone using high flown language to compliment."

Mallene calmed down a bit.

"Well I suppose you girls know what each other is about" she said "I believe I trust your judgement in this. You may be her friend but you don't lack for sense."

"Some of us know about some of us" said Varalie. "I neither know nor care what Sifella is about; she's man mad is all I do know, and very boring. I don't take any notice if SHE's missing from her bed. I did worry about Jerissa; because it thought she might be ill. Jerissa's got as much interest in boys as I have; which is to say, none at all."

Mallene grunted.

"Well for shells sake girl, don't go wandering out of the Hold in the middle of the night. You have no idea of the dangers to a young girl wearing nothing but a nightgown! Dancing in the moonlight? Whatever next?" she saw them back to the dormitory and left them!

"That was pretty mixed support" said Jerissa indignantly "calling me a little idiot!"

"You are" said Varalie "I don't like you any the less because of it, but believe me the tales you've been harrowing Lavanni and me with on our walks are more suitable to a kiddy Mallitta's age. And running the risk of being raped by some lewd fellow who neither know or cares for your Rank but just sees free totty in a nightgown dancing is the daftest thing yet!"

Jerissa stared aghast.

"Surely…." She managed "I didn't think…."

"No, you never do" said Varalie "You go madly into what you want to do without thinking of any possible consequences!"

"I – I just have to break out and do things from time to time" said Jerissa "I feel so – so STIFLED!"

"Your Hold and family must have been pretty lax and not caring much for your protection" said Varalie.

"No, that's not so!" said Jerissa "I'm not confined much, 'cos I'm not main line; my father is a younger son and he trained as a trader at the Tradercraft Hall; and after mother died I travelled a lot with him. It's pretty free – and it's outside a lot of the time. I hate indoors! But when he remarried my new mother said it was no sort of life for a young girl. So here I am" she sighed "And it could have been worse because it could have been done to get rid of a stepdaughter who was almost grown up; but I do like her and I do truly believe she did it meaning to do her best by me with the best of motives."

"And the best of motives can have dreadful consequences" sighed Varalie. "Poor you – you'll be much more at home in the Weyr then!"

"I'll say. I've watched Threadfall when we had to hole up in a cave once, with a load of Holdless and within sight of it; so I know I don't get hysterical" said Jerissa "I'm walking sweep next time too; if she lets you she must let me."

Sifella's voice cut in.

"What are you kids doing chattering until all hours? For shells sake let some of us have our beauty sleep!"

"Yeah, some of you need it more than us" said Jerissa rudely.

Varalie couldn't help the giggle escaping!

There was an outraged noise and the sound of Sifella turning petulantly over.

Varalie may have found Jerissa childish; but Sifella brought out the worst in her and she couldn't resist the temptation.

"Fee!" she said.

"Fee fie!" said Jerissa.

"Fee fie foe!" said Varalie

"Yabba dabba, yabba dabba, yabba dabba dista!" they both said, completing the nonsense rhyme two teams of children would shout at each other.

It was remarkably childish, as Varalie acknowledged to herself, but then sometimes being childish was the only way to deal with Sifella.

Relga drummed

**DDDD**_If you two don't shut up I'll put you to sleep_**DDDDD**

"Oh first egg, now the dummy drudge is having a fit!" moaned Sifella.

"You poor ignorant prune, you don't read drum messages so good, do you?" said Varalie scornfully "She told us to shut up. Sorry Relga – shutting up!"

Silence reigned in the dormitory – albeit a seething and angry silence from Sifella – and by and by all the girls drifted off to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

_Hi B, thanks for the review! B will do fine enough as a handle, if you don't mind sticking to it so I know you another time, or adding 'formerly known as B' if you pick anything else. I was snarky because of a troll, mostly on another fic I have to say, who seriously needs counselling IMO. I am very glad that you enjoy my stories and like the vocabulary. I feel vindicated in not blocking anonymous reviews for one freak. _

_Guest, I'm glad you derive some enjoyment, and I hope that the suggestion to copy and paste to find and replace all the exclamation marks with full stops enhances it. Your first comment about excalmation marks came on top of the troll and seemed sufficiently trivial that I suspected you of being the troll; for which I apologise. I take criticism about incorrect grammar or spelling but I happen to disagree with your dislike of exclamatories. I enjoyed being childish; it brightened up a bad day. Shall we put it behind us? I'll try not to use unecessary exclamatories but I don't see them as indicating a shout, just an animated tone. I use capitals for shouting.  
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**Chapter 7**

The fosterlings were to ride out to Nabol Hold for the Spring Gather; it was a gentle day's ride away and Sebet was heard to mutter than any competent rider could do it in a couple of hours without straining their runner. There was a brief altercation when Sifella informed him that he might not mind arriving at a gather sweaty, dirty and dishevelled because nobody would notice the difference in him; but that some people preferred to travel in a civilised manner.

Varalie could see both sides, though she hated to agree with Sifella over anything! She felt personally that there was a compromise to be reached without having to amble in so leisurely a fashion; but assumed that she understood the reason for this, and asked Mallene,

"Is Lavanni going in a cart, or are we rigging up a litter between two ponies?"

Mallene stared.

"Why I didn't think she'd want to go at all! I made no arrangements….."

"Did you ask her?" said Varalie bluntly.

Mallene flushed.

"As a matter of fact, no miss, I didn't. I didn't want to upset her when a journey is bound to cause her more pain then pleasure."

Varalie frowned.

"I appreciate that; and that you mean well by her; but she should have the option" she insisted "She's much more comfortable in her sprung wheeled chair than in a normal chair. Can't it sit in a cart?"

"Oh very well; but I dare say she'll refuse" said Mallene.

"I don't see why her chair shouldn't fit into a light buggy" said Sebet, joining the conversation. "In fact I don't see why the mountings on it – for dragonflight, I'm guessing – shouldn't clip neatly to a buggy in place of its seat that she could then learn to drive."

"Oh now, that's CLEVER, Sebet! Will you be teaching her?" cried Varalie before Mallene could pooh-pooh the idea. Sebet had won himself back into her good graces; and the boy looked pleased.

"I couldn't do so before tomorrow, but if she was in a two-man buggy I could drive it, no problems" he said "And let her hold the reins on the easy bits if she'd like. A light, two-runner buggy's not difficult to control if the runners are well trained, not like driving unicorn!"

Varalie had no idea what driving unicorn meant, and could care less; but had no intention of asking, in case Sebet decided to explain in great and tedious detail!

"It sounds a capital idea" Bimall said.

Sebet scowled at him slightly, which surprised Varalie as Bimall was supporting Sebet's idea. Boys were strange, she reflected!

Lavanni was nervous about travel, as it had always pained her; but was eager to go to a big Gather where she might enjoy herself in the freedom of her chair. She had attended the small gathers of her own Hold; but only carried out by Relga and set down to watch at a safe distance. The matter of her comfort was much discussed; and in the end, Sebet ended up driving a heavier cart than he had first proposed, drawn by two sturdy runners so that Relga might ride with her mistress and charge. Lavanni had also mentioned that Relga was her milk mother; it was no wonder the giant woman was so protective. There was no mention of a milk sibling, and Relga could have been scarcely more than a child herself; presumably her baby died and she put all of her maternal feelings into Lavanni! She insisted on being near the girl; and Bimall had come up with the idea of suspending Lavanni's chair between the sides of the buggy using leather straps tightened enough to leave the wheels barely brushing the bed of the cart, so that the straps would absorb most of the shocks of the road rather than Lavanni's back. Relga and Sebet would ride on the seat at the front and Lavanni's driving lessons would be postponed until they returned from the Gather. Sebet might have liked to show off his riding skills; but he seemed equally happy to show off how well he drove, even in a standard cart not a racing buggy.

"She'll never feel a bump!" he boasted to Varalie. "I drive well and those two runners have a decent and smooth action!" he patted the beasts.

"Good" said Varalie. "The straps are a good idea too."

Sebet's face set slightly.

"Bimall thought of them" he muttered.

"Lavanni's lucky to have two clever young men to help her" said Varalie "Just think if you'd all been as horrid as Ketse and Matrul or as stupid as Avor!"

Sebet preened slightly – though he still seemed faintly discontented!

The day of travel was fine, but breezy; the girls all tied light scarves over their hair and Relga made sure Lavanni was well tucked up with blankets.

Progress was good; Sebet had not overstated his driving skills and the cart bowled along the well established road to Nabol at a reasonable pace. It was a quicker pace than Mallene had envisioned; but Sebet assured her – probably mendaciously – that it was the smoothest pace for the runners and must be maintained for Lavanni's sake. Varalie privately suspected the beasts had more than one smooth gait, but did not say a word. The faster pace suited her better than a tirning amble anyway; and it must surely be good for Lavanni to be travelling for the least time that was practical! And Sebet was a good driver. Skilfully he avoided odd potholes – with snide asides about the duties of Holders and the upkeep of such means of travel as those not blessed with dragonrider courtesy must use. He also boasted that his own father personally oversaw the mending of their roads, and Mallene was starting to get irritable. Varalie rode up beside the cart to change the subject from Sebet's animadversions.

"How do you feel, Lavanni?" she asked as she reined in. It was something she wanted to ask anyway; and Sebet must perforce stay silent while ladies spoke unless to address a remark to them.

"No pain!" said Lavanni gaily. "I'm a little seasick, but nothing serious!"

"How can you be seasick? We're on land!" said Varalie.

"I don't know; but that's what it feels like. I get queasy for a while on the sea, then it settles down and I'm fine. Still queasy as yet, but it's not too bad!"

"It's the straps" said Bimall riding up on the other side "You can't feel the bumps of the motion of the cart but you can see it, and your mind can't make sense of it. Likes on a boat; it doesn't bump but the sky heaves about rather. Sorry, didn't mean to make you turn green, Lavanni."

"I'd really rather not talk about it as well as feeling it" said Lavanni "Thanks for trying to explain; but please don't. Var, will you sing some of the stuff you learned in the Harper Hall to take my mind off it?"

"Certainly" said Varalie cheerfully. "Relga, will you hold a beat? It goes like this…" she dropped the reins to clap a demonstration. Relga nodded and took up the beat; and Varalie sang. She had a creditable voice, and Master Shonagar had not been displeased with her, for she had worked hard to improve it, though it was not of the best to start with. Varalie resented that Asrina had a prettier voice than hers and yet could not be bothered to train it! That's how Sebet feels about people who are physically capable not bothering to ride properly, thought Varalie; and it was easy to see why. Even in her indifference to riding, Avor's seat was embarrassingly bad; and looked most uncomfortable for his unfortunate mount too!

Lavanni looked less queasy as Varalie diverted her mind by singing, and the harper-trained girl put all she had learned into her singing to help her friend. Ket joined in too, quickly followed by the other firelizards, adding a clear treble counterpoint; and Lavanni exclaimed in delight!

"Is it like this when the famous Menolly and her fair of firelizards sing?" she asked when Varalie stopped to rest her voice.

"Oh! No!" Said Varalie "It's far better! Not only is Menolly a proper Harper, she's also trained her firelizards to add other parts, and they're used to performing besides! It's truly stupendous, even when it's only an informal sing-song – which is the only time I've heard it. Menolly was singing with T'rin and Master Domick, playing a new piece she'd written. I'll never forget it" she finished softly. "Shall I sing some of her old songs do everyone can join in?"

There was a general murmur of assent; so Varalie did just that, ignoring Sifella's barbed comments about brats that always put themselves forward!

The last, steepest ascent to Nabol Hold was hardest on Lavanni; and when they were just a couple of miles away, Varalie said,

"Why don't Relga and I take turns pushing Lavanni; and one of you boys lead my runner? It'll be easier on her than driving this last bit ii reckon."

Relga nodded agreement; and Sebet pulled up the cart.

"You should have a man with you" said Bimall "In case any offer you insult. Rough types come sometimes to a gather; Ranking ladies should have escort. I'll walk along with you."

Sebet frowned.

"I'm afraid you're right" said Varalie. "I'm sure I could take care of myself; but I have to think of insult to Lavanni. Sebet, why are you pulling such a horrid grimace? Even I don't dispute that he's right."

Sebet muttered something incomprehensible as Bimall hitched his own runner to the back of the cart. Varalie grinned at Bimall whilst engaged in the same business.

"You can take your turn pushing too" she said "Shards knows, she's light enough and so's the chair; but things are always heavier uphill."

"Delighted to show off my masculine muscles" murmured Bimall sardonically.

There were crowds on the road by this time, all gay for the Gather; it would open properly on the morrow, but people were anxious to get there already, especially if they had produce to sell. Cotholders flooded in from far and wide; and marksmen with a variety of wares, or those of a craft if they belonged to one; and itinerant crafters who moved from Gather to Gather rather than being attached to any one place. Such would also travel around cotholds, staying one night here, one night there, doing repairs appropriate to their craft, or making small necessities that needed replacing, sometimes spending time in Holdless caverns as a place to rest and replenish their stock. Tinkers too were there, who chose to live Holdless without the comfort of a Crafthall behind them, doing much the same thing as the itinerant crafters, though tinkers often turned their hands to many trades including, many claimed, thievery. The tinkers travelling to the Gather looked a rough lot, but merry enough; they shouted bawdy comments about Varalie, but nothing so lewd that she did more than flush slightly, to the amusement of the tinker band! Travelling too were runner owners, going to the Races, resting their beasts overnight or for longer, as most of the main races were on the second and third days. From further north, up another road that joined the main one into the Hold came a large runner team, including lightweight buggies, two drawn by three runners and one of them driven expertly by a young girl not much older than Varalie, her red hair cropped short, but obviously a woman for the bump of her pregnancy visible.

"That's Tragen and his new young wife" said Bimall. "Northfork Hold is known for its runners. I'd like to buy from them but Tragen won't sell to my father. Looks like his wife is breeding already!"

"She doesn't seem concerned about it at all" said Lavanni.

Bimall laughed.

"She's another one with Weyr connections – her brother's a Bronze Rider, and I think her sister Impressed too – so I suppose she takes it all in her stride. High Reaches Weyr women are strong willed."

Varalie looked at Tragen's wife with interest; if there were people who would turn their back on the Weyr for marriage that argued the possibility of husbands who were decent men! Tragen was rather older than Varalie approved of for so young a wife; but catching a shared look and a brief touch between the couple, she acknowledged that there was certainly love there!

Dragons too swooped in towards Nabol Hold, neatly depositing passengers come to spend the whole Gather. Riders visiting on their own account would mostly fly in for brief periods during the main events, especially the racing. It was well known that Dragonriders were notorious gamblers!

One man landed from a young Green went to meet a runner team; seemingly he had sent his runners and grooms ahead to toil the slow way while he waited to the last minute to come in by dragon. Varalie suddenly found she had a whole lot more respect for Tragen and his wife for staying with their people. Indeed, Tragen came face to face with the man and there was a brief, curt greeting. Tragen had no time for this fellow either it seemed!

It was already noisy on the road, animals lowing, grunting and bleating; cotholders shouting greetings to those they had not seen since they had last attended a Gather together; children shouting and calling excitedly, running about in impromptu games of tag; the bells on the runners of those better off riders jingling louder than the clink of the harness, the creaks of carts full of produce all contributed to a fine cacophony. People wore their Gather finery too; some shabby enough, some of gaudy but cheap stuff, some better cloth than Varalie had herself, for many High Reaches cotholders wove or knitted their own ovine and llama wool. In the still chill air, colourful knitted overtunics were in evidence, some with intricate patterns formed by raised stitching in the same colour as the rest of the garment; others with coloured patterns made up in the stylised checkerboard of the stitch, ranging from geometric patterns to ingeniously contrived dragons flying round the yoke of one.

Varalie had been to a major Gather at Fort, under the aegis of the Harper Hall; but it had been a short, relatively decorous visit, and with the Crafthall being almost part of the Hold she had not had the opportunity to see so great a mass of people all on the move. She said so.

"It's a bit scary, isn't it?" said Lavanni.

"A bit" said Varalie "But exciting too. I smell so much too!"

"Did you step in it?" asked Bimall with a straight face.

"Idiot!" said Varalie cheerfully. "Not just the animals – or people, though there's an awful whiff to large numbers of them – but there's baking smells and runnerbeasts and fleeces, early vegetables, the dusty earthy smell from that cart load of tubers and I surely caught a whiff of lavender water!"

"Yes, the perfumers like to let their scents drift about to make folk aware of their wares" said Bimall. "Most people will have used up their own domestic make of lavender water for scenting bed and underlinen by now, if they make their own, and the perfumers will do well. As well as selling more exotic perfume to Ranking ladies and weyrwomen."

"There's so much to see!" said Varalie.

"And three days to see it in" said Bimall calmly. "You need not tire Lavanni out pushing her around at breakneck speed you know; the Gather won't go away for letting her rest!"

Varalie laughed.

"Sorry Lavanni!" she said.

"I'm enjoying it!" replied Lavanni gaily "I never had the chance to do anything like this before; it's wonderful! I'm not too tired yet, Bimall, we could see a little on our way to our quarters?"

"See how you are by the time we've waited to get in" said Bimall.

A few people stared curiously at Lavanni's chair; but most looked with idle curiosity and passed onward. Those in the habit of attending Nabol's Gathers were used to seeing a weyrwoman on such a chair, and occasional assorted weyrlings who had met with accidents and often enough too with heavily splinted legs held up on platforms. One more girl in a chair was no novelty.

"It's nice not to be a freak!" exclaimed Lavanni "They don't look at me any different from the way they look at you, or not hardly!"

Varalie grinned.

"I guess that's the Weyr's doing" she said. "Bubbly pies first? If we look starved enough, perhaps Bimall will treat us!"

Bimall laughed.

"If they've a stall up and running when we get in. And then, tired or not, I want to deliver you girls to your quarters to rest up and await the morrow!"

There was a bubbly pie stall. An enterprising baker had set up just outside the gates where people were waiting patiently in line to go into the Hold under the jovial but nevertheless watchful eyes of Lord Deckter's guards. There was no real delay; but the watchful men were ready for any trouble, such as removing the already noisy drunkard who was turning belligerent from the queue and locking him in the guardhouse for the night to sleep it off. Varalie reflected idly that it would not be hard for someone of the disposition of Fax to slip in an army disguised as Gather revellers, with weapons in carts under vegetables. She thought it was as well there was nobody thus disposed; and said so to Bimall, voicing her ideas.

Bimall was startled; and went very quiet. Then he said,

"Never repeat those thoughts to my father nor in front of my second brother or any of the other girls who might be less than discreet. My father was one of the potential heirs to Nabol Hold; and, well….well, I'd just keep quiet."

Varalie shivered.

Bitrul in a rage, resenting Deckter wasa frightening picture. Bimall laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Fortunately my father is not so clever nor so imaginative as you" he said. "Nor is my mother ambitious, save for being left in peace."

Varalie nodded.

"Discreet as a harper" she said.

"Me too" said Lavanni in a scared little voice.

Relga nodded too, though Bimall looked startled, having plainly assumed that she was not likely to tell anyone anything. It lost him some ground in Varalie's estimation, having been thinking him a very pleasant companion despite his advanced turns; but she said nothing. He was a good man in other respects, and recovered himself almost immediately to smile thanks to the big woman.

Dark considerings apart, Varalie was looking forward to spending three whole days at the Gather; and once the girls had been delivered to Mallene, and had eaten and bathed she fell dreamlessly asleep the moment her head touched the pillow!


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Gather days were worked out carefully with the use of Threadfall charts to cause as little inconvenience as possible; whilst any one place received Fall only once every seven sevendays or so, people came from far enough away to be from differing Fall zones. High Reaches Hold opened the doors the day before Threadfall over the Hold as a rule, nurturing visitors over Fall; and the subsequent three or four day Gather meant that Fall would have come and gone during the Gather over the regions through which many of the travellers would travel; or for the furthest flung would often occur at their own Hold or cothold during the time they were travelling; and up to them to make arrangements to have the land walked while they were gone if they were lone cotholders or risk the ire of the dragonfolk if any burrows took hold due to absence. Nabol Hold took the expedient of trying to find a time as Thread free as possible across the major area of its influence. This was useful to those with runnerbeasts to race who would be able to attend both prestigious meetings, as Holder Tragen often did. Tragen would have left the day after Threadfall to bring his runners by leisurely stages not to tire them; and in less fine weather might have taken advantage of the Thread shelter that was a feature of most major roads at regular intervals, large enough to shelter two dozen people and their beasts and goods if they did not mind some discomfort for the short time Thread actually fell.

To those who visited the Gather, the careful calculations meant nothing save the guarantee of a good time; and the fosterlings of Twosprings Hold were no exception. They sallied forth into an overcast but fine spring morning filled with anticipation; and in the case of the younger ones filled with anticipation of being filled with bubbly pies.

There were so many stalls!

Leatherworkers sold belts and clothes, bags and saddles, belt pouches and shoes. Specialist cobblers had everything from parchment-fine slippers to heavy wher-hide boots lined with soft wherry down. Woodcrafters sold furniture, wooden bowls, spoons, boxes and now paper! Vintners had wine from all over Pern, especially their own best vintages; but there was too a lot of trading between vintners to add variety to their own stalls.

As to the variety of foodstuffs it was endless – from stalls selling food to eat like pies and hot bread with a selection of fillings to dried fruits and early crops like winter onions and brassicas. The smells mingled in a rich harmony that the older gather goers found faintly offputting – wherry and onion pie does not mingle well with almond tart – and the younger members found entrancing.

There were too the stalls of those marksmen who bought a selection of goods from craftsmen and sold them on at a higher price at a distance from their source; instruments from the Harper Hall, fine brocades from Fort Weavercraft Hall, jewels from Crom and turned goods from the Woodcrafter Hall in Lemos to name but a few. Varalie glanced at the instruments on the stall of one and looked disgusted.

"Amateurish" she said "Not stamped and easy to see why; Master Jerint'd never pass those travesties. Look, Lavanni, Jerissa, there's the Weyr stall, their instruments will be good quality they'll be Harper stamped."

As this little speech, not made in low tones, caused some people looking at the marksman's stall to pause and listen and think twice the marksman was not best pleased.

"Look here girl, you get lost and stop ruining my trade!" he said.

Varalie smiled sweetly.

"Oh, surely it's the poor quality of your generally shoddy goods that does that?" she said, turning away.

There was much laughter from onlookers.

T'rin was manning the Weyr craftstall and grinned as they approached. He had heard Valralie's high carrying voice and its condemnation of a rival with showy goods and was not displeased that the girl should loudly and confidently proclaim the Weyr stall's superiority.

"Hi you kids – see you like the chair then, Lavanni!" he said by way of greeting.

Lavanni flushed, overcome that a mighty dragonman should remember her name and address her thus familiarly like an old friend!

"It's wonderful" she said "You have no idea how much freedom it gives me!"

"Oh but I do" said T'rin softly. "My sister and I were paupers, orphans; and she was the first person ever to have a wheeled chair. The freedom it gave her I felt very deeply; because love her as I always have her freedom gave me freedom too; and at twelve turns old I relished that deeply."

Lavanni glanced involuntarily at Relga.

Relga drummed on her hand

**DDDD**_I feel no loss of freedom_**DDDD**

Lavanni smiled at her.

T'rin ferreted around and picked out a small bodhran.

"Would this help you if you ever need to shout, Relga?" he asked.

Relga glanced at Lavanni, who got out her purse.

"How much?" she asked.

"If it weren't for our cause, I'd pay the apprentice who made it and make a gift of it; actually in the circumstances she'd probably gift it herself. But you can afford for me to sting you for the whole three marks" grinned T'rin.

"They were more than that at the other stall and less quality" said Lavanni.

"Sure. He's a charlatan. Not all marksmen and traders are, but he's a prime type to avoid" said T'rin. "If he were selling runners I'd count their teeth and undo their fetlock wrappings to look for splints. We maintain Harper Hall standards – as Varalie was kind enough to point out so nice and loudly – and we also maintain their price standards. As we maintain the Woodcrafter Hall standards and prices with the goods from H'llon and his apprentices."

"I'll buy it gladly and see what else I need from your stall" said Lavanni, rifling through turned boxes, tablet woven belts and the sundry products of the talent of an entire Weyr, including some of the finest painted dragonpoker cards Varalie had ever seen! Varalie, with more need to practice economy than either of her friends chose for herself a length of knitted lace and several sheets of fine paper to use as notes to send by Ket; and a length of graphite set into a protective wooden sheath to write with. She told T'rin what that would be for and introduced him and his little white Prism to Ket.

"After the copper kettle drums" she said.

"Appropriate" grinned T'rin. "I say, what's Jerissa going off after? She looks upset!"

Jerissa had indeed gone off in a storm.

"'Scuse me" said Varalie, thrusting her purchases onto Lavanni's lap and dashing after her.

"Jerissa!" Lavanni rolled her eyes. "You never know WHAT's going to happen next around her!"

T'rin raised an eyebrow.

"Trouble?"

"N…no…her heart's in the right place but she's a bit heedless….."

"She'll grow out of it at the Weyr or not Impress" said T'rin philosophically. "Not all who have raw power have the potential to be dragonriders; dragons look for a sight more than bravery and sheer power."

"I think it would help her to feel that she was wanted and doing something useful and purposeful" said Lavanni.

Relga drummed silently

**DDDD**_nothing wrong with Lady Jerissa hard work she's suited for won't cure_**DDDD**

T'rin grinned.

"Good" he said.

Meanwhile Varalie had caught up with her unexpected friend. Jerissa was shouting 'How dare you!" over and over at a skinny, ill-clad child who cowered back white-faced while Jerissa opened and broke up wicker cages in which the child was selling weesweets, busy releasing them.

Varalie seized her friend by the arm.

"No, Jer, how dare YOU?" she shouted "Look at that poor little kid, you great bully!"

"How can you take that brat's part, Varalie?" Jerissa was half in tears "She's caged them – they're wild creatures meant to be free!"

"Oh a fine dragonrider you hope to be!" said Varalie with heavy irony "When you put a few animals ahead of the people you hope to swear to protect. That makes you no better than T'kul!"

"She has no right!"

"Oh? She has a right to starve instead then? LOOK at her, Jerissa, look at those skinny arms and inadequate rags, her bare feet blue on this cold ground. Don't you EVER stop to think how your actions hurt others? That's her LIVELIHOOD you're stealing – and it is stealing!"

Jerissa looked at the frightened child and looked shamed for a moment.

"Well her family ought to look after her better" she said sulkily.

"Maybe they ought. Maybe there's a reason they don't – or can't" said Varalie. "Jer, I know you mean well, but I do just wish that you'd use what you have between the ears before wading into trouble with both feet and I do wish you'd think of your stepmother's good intentions that make YOU miserable!" she turned to the little girl. "My friend will pay for the weesweets she released – and if she doesn't I will. How much are they each?"

"A quarter mark each or a full mark for the big cage with two in" whispered the child.

Varalie totted up quickly from the scene of destruction.

"That's three and a quarter marks. Will you pay, Jerissa, or shall I?"

Jerissa was white. She knew how much of Varalie's more meagre mark store that represented.

"I'll pay" she said. "I'm sorry, kiddie, I didn't notice how skinny you are, only saw the cruelty to the weesweets….but it's not…."

Varalie interrupted, dropping into a squat beside the child.

"What is your name, little one, how old are you and how do you come to this industry?" she asked.

"My name is Ibella and it's not just from me that she's taking food but the three little ones too" said the girl sullenly.

"Then you're a brave girl to be caring for another three! Why, you can't be turned ten!"

"Just am" said Ibella. "Frane is eight, he's taking care of Alster and Iran at home. They're only little, Alster is five and Iran is three."

"Shards, what about your parents?" said Jerissa.

Ibella shrugged dully.

"There was a freak blizzard last turn" she said "They were both with the ovines. They died."

"And you've been managing a cot on your own?" asked Varalie.

"Oh! No! Holder Shamis – the cot is beholden to his land – threw us out and took the surviving ovines for rent he said was owing. We have a cave."

Varalie's eyes narrowed.

"Now THAT makes ME angry" she said. "This Shamis sounds a lovely character! That ought to go before Lord Deckter!"

"Lady" said Ibella "Who do you think the Lord Holder is going to believe – a ragged beggar or one of his Holders?"

"Why, I would hope he'd believe the person who's telling the truth!" said Varalie. "I've heard good of him. Listen, I'll pay for the rest of your weesweets and we'll go and find him. How do you catch them?"

Ibella shrugged.

"Animals do what I want" she said.

Varalie started.

"Then I know the place for you and your brothers" she said, holding out her hand.

Ibella retreated.

"NO! I aint't going to drudge for some beastmaster who'll want to paw me over the moment I get teats!"

"Such never crossed my mind" said Varalie coolly. "I was thinking that gifted people should be under the protection of the weyr."

"I don't hear dragons like I do animals."

"Maybe not; but they can help you develop your skill if you wish to, because they understand telepathy – hearing people or animals or dragons" she explained quickly. "They have herds there too; and maybe if you hear animals you can hear their instinctive fear when Thread is near, if it falls out of pattern. The weyr cares for children that has nobody."

"Yeah, so they say; but do they really? We're doing all right!"

Varalie gave her a long look and took the skinny arm and felt it.

"Yeah, right" she said "And even if you're the skinniest of the four of you, going without to feed your brothers, what are they going to do if your malnutrition causes you to catch some ailment and die? You'd not be doing all right then."

Ibella burst into tears and Varalie put her arms rather awkwardly round her.

"I don't want to be forced to be someone else's drudge! We've always been independent!" sobbed the little girl.

"Little one, don't you see that a weyr is the best place to go if you are independent? They like people to be able to think for themselves – it's encouraged! And I KNOW an orphan taken in at twelve turns old with a crippled sister; and his name is Blue Rider T'rin so the weyr's done all right by him! Come and meet him – he's a Harper too!"

Ibella shuffled, but nodded and took Varalie's hand.

It was at this point that Mallene came on the scene in search of various errant fosterlings and stared aghast at the scene.

"Jerissa! Varalie! What are you doing with that filthy brat? Ugh! Get away from it before you catch something!"

Jerissa opened her mouth to make some rudely indignant comment and Varalie kicked her friend hard in the ankle, since she did not trust Jerissa not to say something unbelievably rude like telling Mallene to bend a tail, that could only make the situation more difficult. As Jerissa bit off a yelp, Varalie stared upon Mallene with scorn.

"Mallene, it may be the way of Meron and your husband to treat the commons like dirt, but to my mind those of the Blood have the responsibility to care for the indigent. This child's plight may not, in this instance, be the fault of your husband but I make no doubt that Bitrul is of a similar stamp to the man who used his position to make quasi legal theft from her. Now stand aside; this is Weyr business since Holderfolk are not equal to it; though Lord Deckter must know. I will not be brooked by your foolish ideas!" she put her arms around the terrified Ibella.

Mallene stared.

"It is my duty, girl, to protect you and your reputation!" she said "I stand in the place of a mother to you! Now cease this foolishness!"

"In place of a mother?" Varalie's chin came up sharply "My mother knew where her duty and obligations lay, if you and your new-Blood husband do not! She would have been the first to urge me to do what was right! And if you disapprove of me believing that Blood obligates, then you can take it up with her when you die!"

"You go too far! Get to your room!"

"Mallene, you are creating a scene and drawing attention to yourself" said Varalie coldly

"If you attempt to use force to stop us doing this" said Jerissa "We'll complain to Lord Deckter and the Weyr both about how you violate the Charter. And we'll tell him what Bitrul said about Lavanni."

"Well get on with this – duty – and we'll speak about the insolence of both of you later!" said Mallene, white to the lips, horrified that she was drawing a crowd.

"Fine" said Varalie "Punish us later for doing our duty; for we are waiting to be weyrfolk and will not abandon our duties for your convenience; for what is right comes ahead of your strange sense of priority that permits your husband to bully us and our firelizards, threaten cripples and weyrfolk and yet will not let us do our duty!"

"You tell 'er little lady!" shouted a voice from the onlookers "Got outta Twosprings I did – you tell 'er all abaht it!"

Mallene pursed her lips. She knew the girls were in the right, but she resented the way they spoke, putting her down – and how the crowd supported them!

"If you will apologise for your manner we will say no more about this!" she said.

The girls exchanged a glance.

"IF we were unduly insolent to you, Mallene, I apologise" said Varalie.

Jerissa noticed the 'if' and grinned.

"I also" she said.

Mallene nodded.

"Very well" she said in a tight voice "Come straight back to our quarters when you have done what you have to do!" and she moved away to try to get herself back under control; having to acknowledge to herself that most of her rage was impotent fury towards her stupid husband and his uncontrolled outbursts that gave these girls fuel for such infernal impudence!

"Phew!" said Jerissa as the crowd dispersed with several cheerily ribald comments in support of the girls!

"And we only got out so well as we did because I stopped you telling her to bend a tail or whatever you had been going to say" said Varalie, smiling down at Ibella. "All right little one?"

Ibella nodded.

"How did you know?" demanded Jerissa.

"I know you" said Varalie dryly. "I sympathise with Mallene; having to me married to an oaf with the disposition of a tantrum-ready toddler. If I was her I'd poison him and rule as Lady Holder or drop the whole lot in Bimall's lap. She feels she has to uphold him, I guess, even though she loathes and despises him."

"It was a master stroke to mention all his ill deeds so she had to capitulate in case we got more specific in public" said Jerissa.

"And for you to remind her we could tell Deckter about what he said about Lavanni – though we'd have a hard job proving anything, for it's our word against his. Ah, T'rin."

"I saw you having some trouble but you seemed to be handling it" said T'rin. "You've no tact, either of you, but you're very young so it'll come one day, one hopes. And I'm not sure it was a time for tact anyway. She won't love you any better for being alive to her weaknesses you know. I'm glad I didn't have to disentangle you; it's better if you can resolve things for yourselves."

"He's training us to be candidates already?" said Jerissa.

T'rin laughed.

"Why not? Now, tell me all about it."

The girls explained Ibella's plight; and to T'rin's credit he followed the story despite the detailed description of two excitable girls.

"Well, young Ibella" he said "This stall here is to pay for such youngsters as yourself and your brothers who have no other place to go. If you can do wicker work such as you did to make cages you can help add to the craft stall; and if you can talk to animals you'll always be welcome to help with out beasts under Weyrwoman J'arla. You won't be parted from your brothers; and you and they in due course may be apprenticed to a craft if you and they so wish. But you are free; and you have a livelihood, though I'd say it seems a little precarious. It is your choice."

Ibella stared.

To be given the chance by a dragonman who could sweep her and her brothers up willy-nilly – for Ibella had heard that dragons could read minds and so find out where the boys were – was amazing.

She nodded.

"All right; we'll come. Iran isn't well. I – I guess we need help. But I'll not drudge!"

"No, if you've other skills, why should you?" said T'rin. "Though at High Reaches, my girl, you'll keep a civil tongue in your head to drudges, for they're all part of the family and we value them!"

That surprised Ibella, who found herself mumbling apologies for bad mouthing drudges when all she meant was that she did not wish to be essentially enslaved!

Varalie grinned at Jerissa.

"Good job jobbed" she said "And out of out hands! Let's go face the music!"


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

There was no music to face; Mallene refused to even mention the incident, merely saying

"Ah there you are" when the girls turned up.

"I guess it's how she stays sane when married to Bitrul" said Varalie "Just pretending unpleasant things have never happened and ignoring them."

The rest of the Gather therefore was relatively uneventful; at least in terms of unpleasantness or unusual circumstances, and Varalie and Jerissa were permitted out next day with no more said to them than to any of the girls. Varalie went to view a Weavercraft stall and fingered cloth she could never afford; and mentally shrugged over that. Sifella bought several whole bolts of cloth and took fittings from a seamstress and left orders for finished gowns to be delivered to her, caring little how much might be left over or what became of it! Varalie decided that she would rather not have fine cloth and remain unaffected by the sneering haughtiness that typified Sifella, as though the two were synonymous. In some ways of course they were; for Sifella had been brought up to expect anything she wanted should be hers; and that made its inevitable mark on her personality.

Varalie felt really very little need to buy anything; looking at the exciting stalls was enough! There was nothing she truly needed – her clothes were serviceable enough – and little after which she hankered, save a fine gitar on the weyr craftstall, to which she returned several times and finally plucked up courage to ask to try it.

The stall was being manned by a big Bronze Rider who kept straightening the goods every time any passer by looked at anything and moved things out of true. He smiled gravely at Varlalie.

"Yes of course, you must try it; you need to know the tone."

Varalie was about to ask if he were a Harper, then felt foolish as she noticed the Journeyman Woodcrafter knots with a tassel presumably indicating further status alongside the knots that marked him as a Bronze Rider Wingleader. This must be H'llon who had crafted Lavanni's chair!

The gitar had a lovely rich tone. As she had known it would. Anything that came from under T'rin's or H'gey's hands had a good tone. Varalie played a few brief airs and was entranced!

It was journeyman crafted and cost ten marks. And that was very reasonably priced too, for there was even a touch of marquetry work around the sound hole, five compact stylised dragons flying around it, each in dyed wood appropriate to the different colours. Varalie ran her finger over them.

"Please – isn't the price low for such fine work?" she asked tentatively "Has it been wrongly marked?"

H'llon laughed.

"That's the first time I've been asked to up the price! No, miss, we've a new invention that stamps the shapes out of the veneer and we can lay them directly into the hole stamped with the same machine in the main veneer!"

"Why that's so clever!" said Varalie "How does it work?"

H'llon grinned. She seemed genuinely interested – and he had learned finally to recognise the spurious interest girls sometimes showed in his work to try to use it as an excuse to get to know the handsome Bronze Rider better.

"We have a water wheel" he explained "That can put more power into things than even the strongest man can. When you emboss leather or cut shapes from it, you use a metal die cut to the right shape, blunt for embossing and sharp for cutting or piercing; and it is hit with a hammer when held against the moistened leather. It's the same idea but mounted in a big press so it will go through tougher material, and cleanly too, without cracking the wood."

"That's so clever!" said Varalie. "You Weyrfolk are so clever and inventive, I can hardly wait until I come to the Weyr as a candidate."

H'llon grinned.

"Anyone with so open a mind and keen intellect is welcome at the Weyr" he said. "Excuse me, am I correct in thinking you are a friend of the girls with the chair?"

"Yes; she's resting for the morning, she gets fatigued easily" said Varalie. "And oh, Bronze Rider H'llon, you've changed her life and she's so grateful!"

"You know who I am?" he was taken aback, for H'llon was a modest young man despite all his achievements.

"Yes, you are the weyrwoodcrafter aren't you?" she asked, "I heard about you from T'rin!"

H'llon smiled gravely but with a twinkle in his eye.

"Don't believe it all!" he said.

Varalie laughed.

"Oh he said nothing to your detriment!" she assured him gaily. "Please – will you hold the gitar while I check if I have enough?"

H'llon obligingly cradled the instrument in his big but delicate hands while Varalie fumbled and counted. She had given some of her precious marks for Ibella's weesweets as the child's needs were greater than hers; but she had enough, and handed them over. H'llon wrapped her gitar in linen.

"I hope you enjoy playing it" he said. "I know enough about music to recognise that you know what you're doing."

Varalie shook her head.

"I'm a competent amateur" she said "Not good enough to be an apprentice I'm afraid. I think that's the story of my life with all my skills" she confessed with a sudden rush.

"Hmm" said H'llon "But you are the girl who brought us Ibella and her brothers, and asked about a chair for your friend. I'd say your skills for finding, sorting and being compassionate about troubles were well developed. And those are the skills we value in the weyr."

"Oh Jerissa's better at FINDING trouble than me" said Varalie "But I guess I am quite good at getting her and me out of what she lands us in."

H'llon nodded.

"Well, I look forward to meeting you in the Weyr, candidate" he said formally. "My Weyrmate is weyrlingsecond for the females so I'll tell her to look out for you."

H'llon was nobody's fool and he wanted to make it quite clear that he was spoken for, in case common courtesy be mistaken for anything more! It had taken him a while to realise that girls and women found him attractive and now he was careful to avoid misunderstandings!

Varalie, who had not noticed his good looks particularly, grinned cheerfully.

"I look forward to meeting her too" she said sincerely.

"Would you also be the lass who has made instruments?" asked H'llon.

Varalie nodded.

"Some apprentices showed me some simple techniques. I enjoyed it; I'm told I shall be allowed to make more in the Weyr."

"Well, I assume you were competent enough to get stamped by a master; you must show me what you've learned, and providing you've a reasonable competence I'll not object to considering you as a woodcraft apprentice" he said "If you'd like a craft to stand by should you not Impress. I've another couple of female apprentices at the moment, a little younger than you, if you're worried about propriety."

"Oh! Could I? I'd like to try!" said Varalie happily. "I don't care much about propriety, you know; I'm not really looking for lovers yet if you've male apprentices old enough to be irritating. And I know where to put a knee if a man bothers me. And you're sort of married, so doesn't your weyrmate count as a chaperone against young men? So I'd not have to worry?"

H'llon laughed with genuine amusement that she quite plainly did not consider him in the category of 'young men' being too impressed by the status of his knots!

"No, you'll not have to worry!" he said, thinking what a nice kid she was and so delightfully straightforward compared to a lot of Ranking girls!

Varalie enjoyed taking Lavanni to see such traditional sports as catching the greased porcine, an event of great hilarity; wrestling on a greasy pole above a tank of water; shooting contests – at which she considered again what an easy way it was to smuggle weaponry – and other formal and informal bouts. Teams from Holds all over came to play Kabaddi, a game of five on each side who had to take turns to raid and capture in each other's territory – divided by a line on the ground in the court – whilst chanting 'kabaddi, kabaddi' all the time to prove they held their breath.

Unsurprisingly, those of the highest altitudes carried most of the honours with this game, finding the air at lower altitudes richer than they were used to; and the honours went finally to Mile High Hold, whose team narrowly beat the team that included two Harpers from Northfork; and Varalie wondered how the Harperweyr Harpers would do, having high altitude and trained lungs on their side!

And then there was the racing.

Dragonriders flooded in for the races and not just from High Reaches Weyr. It was interesting to watch how the commons gave respect to their own Weyrfolk, but hopped smartly out of the way with something between deference and fear at the sight of any thread than dark blue in one of the more or less complex triskele knots traditional to dragonriders of various ranks. Even relatively lowly Green Riders were treated with circumspection if not locals; and the sad thing about it was that none of the visitors seemed aware that anything was amiss! Varalie had to admit that she would have behaved with equal circumspection to Riders at Pook's Pass; but then they would have come from Telgar Weyr, and she had picked up enough from what had not been said to know that there was an atmosphere towards Telgar in the High Reaches!

One pair, wearing the colours of Benden, a Blue and Green Rider, did seem to notice how they were treated; for Varalie heard the Green Rider say,

"And from what Elissa said, the attitudes towards dragonriders were supposed to be more open here!" he sounded disappointed.

Varalie went forward without thinking.

"Oh Green Rider, the attitudes here ARE different, but you see, you're wearing foreign knots, I mean" she explained "You're from the wrong, er, a different Weyr so you're an unknown quantity."

The two riders regarded her, and Varalie flushed.

"I think they left 'tact' out of your lexicon, young lady" said the Blue Rider "But then, I think that's what we need here, blunt truth. Right Ch'sseri?"

"Every time, D'vind. So, we're treated circumspectly because we're er, foreign dragonriders?"

Varalie nodded, scarlet faced.

"Sirs, if you hid your knots, or found some High Reaches people to go around with, you'd see" she said "You'd never be mistaken for anything but Riders, for you walk proud; but if people couldn't see your knots they'd assume you were locals who hadn't bothered with them; 'cos they're not always formal enough to bother up here, you know."

The dragonriders exchanged looks.

"Thank you, youngling" said the Blue Rider "We'll try that. Who do we have to thank?"

"Oh I'm waiting-to-be-candidate Varalie" said Varalie.

"Then our thanks, waiting-to-be-candidate" said D'vind.

"What ARE you like?" scolded Lavanni when the Riders had left.

"Tactless and impetuous I suppose" said Varalie "But it worked out fine!"

Tragen's team did predictably well in all the races; Lavanni was especially interested to watch buggy racing since Sebet had offered to teach her to drive. And Varalie discovered that the term 'driving unicorn' referred to the of arrangement of three runnerbeasts pulling a light buggy, two abreast and one in front. Tragen's pregnant wife was driving the Northfork team in this race; and there was much speculation in the crowd that Tragen must be in his dotage, for no girl could drive so difficult an equipage as unicorn at the best of times, let alone one so obviously with child – however good a jockey she may have been before he spoiled her as a rider by getting her with child!

Varalie laid her few remaining marks on Kaili to win, more out of impulsive fellow feeling for one being scorned than a desire to gamble!

Her winnings made her far richer than she had ever been in her life before; and she cheered herself quite hoarse yelling for Kaili!

"Well!" said Varalie half to herself, when she inspected her larger denomination marks, her original four back and another forty-four "I suppose that was a fluke."

"Heh, not from Kaili" said a passing Bronze Rider, a Fight Leader,one of the important men of the Weyr. "She's something special; she's a whisperer. But you're right to be sceptical – betting's a mug's game, young Varalie, unless you know what's what. Me, I only bet on Tragen's beasts and then usually to place."

Varalie flushed.

"You know me, sir?"

He laughed.

"Tales of you HAVE got around" he ruffled her hair and passed on by.

Varalie took no offence at having her hair ruffled; it was infinitely preferable to having a pass made at her, and was a friendly gesture. She decided to take the Bronze Rider's advice and bet small amounts on Tragen's various runners and buggies to place; and made a modest but reasonable overall return. She went promptly to the Weyr stall and handed over thirty marks to the female Green Rider currently manning the stall.

"What's that for?" asked the Green Rider in some alarm "I wasn't told there was payment due; have I something here for you to collect?"

"No, it's just for the orphans" said Varalie. "It's half my winnings; I never saw so much money in any one go in my life, so I figured they'd mostly have seen even less. And if I give it away quick I won't get all covetous, 'cos what you've never had you don't miss. Is – have I broken etiquette?"

The honey-blonde woman beamed all over her pleasant face and her green eyes glowed.

"No my dear, you've just made my day! I'm glad there are people like you – especially if you've never had so much in one go! There's those as have that and more to spend at every Gather that wouldn't even tithe you know!"

"Well, brocades are lovely" said Varalie "But people are more important."

She was startled to receive a hug and a kiss from the Green Rider!

Varalie half considered asking this warmhearted weyrwoman to care for her remaining marks until she came to the Weyr; but decided that you never knew when a good store of marks might be needed; and stowed most of them carefully in a bag inside her gitar and tied it back into its linen wraps. She did not think, for all their unpleasantness, that any of the other fosterlings was light fingered; but certainly whilst away from a secure place it would be foolish and unfair to place temptation in the way of any drudge at the Hold.

On due consideration, Varalie bought herself a figured velvet scarf with flame-like swirls of high pile in the new colour out of Boll called burnt orange, the next level of pile being in soft smoke grey all on a satin ground of black. It would cheer up a plain brown or black gown and not be out of place on the green medley-woven gown that had been her grandfather's choice of fabric for its economy. She hesitated and then spent another mark on another scarf similarly figured in soft pinks and grey for Mallene as a peace offering.

Mallene stared when Varalie offered it to her; then gave the girl a quick fierce hug.

"You're so impetuous!" the woman said. Whether that referred to the purchase of the scarf, Varalie's actions over Ibella or both she did not say; and Varalie wisely did not ask.

"Where did the poor relation get money for luxuries then – the brat she was with teach her picking pouches?" sneered Sifella.

"I know how to pick a winner at the races when I see one" retorted Varalie. "I expect Sebet did well too!"

"Pretty well" said Sebet "Save on the unicorn races – I fancied the team of bays from Highspire, not a girl that was breeding!" he sounded disgusted.

Varalie laughed.

"And you Ruathan runnerhold bred?" she said teasingly "I bet on the whisperer!"

"Tragen's wife's a whisperer? Well how about that!" Sebet was chagrined. "You and whoever else knew that must've cleaned up – the odds were eight to one when I laid my marks."

Varalie laughed.

"Then you helped drive the price to eleven to one – which was what it was when I laid mine!" she said.

Sebet shook his head.

"Beginner's luck" he declared darkly, but with a rueful grin.

At last the gather was over; and they were off back to Twosprings Hold. T'rin dropped by as they were leaving; and offered Lavanni a trip dragonback to save her the journey when tired by the Gather; but her obvious fear of the whole idea made him drop his exhortations to her.

Sifella tossed her chestnut mane and smiled provocatively at him.

"I'd not mind a lift, dragonman" she cooed, somehow managing to infuse suggestion into the whole sentence.

"That's a pity then, isn't it?" said T'rin cheerily "Since the lift wasn't offered to you."

Sifella visibly fumed and started demanding of Mallene how a useless cripple brat got offered a ride dragonback with a handsome live one, and didn't even have as much intellect as physical abilities that she not jump at it, when she, Sifella, who appreciated such things did NOT get offered it!

Jerissa opened her mouth to comment on Sifella; and Varalie stood on her foot! The younger of the pair of friends had decided it might not be a bad idea for them to try to be model fosterlings, at least for a while, peace offering or no peace offering, to give Mallene a chance to recover from their forthrightness! She muttered of this to Jerissa, who brightened.

"Lull her into a false sense of security you mean?" she said brightly.

"No I did NOT mean that!" said Varalie exasperated "I just thought, let's not draw attention to ourselves – let her have the opportunity to be cross at someone else for a change, surely even you've got the sense to see that?"

Jerissa made a face at Varalie for calling her sense into question and promptly got ticked off by Mallene, already irritated by Sifella's arrogance, for acting the hoyden.

"Wouldn't it be nice not to be in trouble?" Varalie appealed to her.

"Oh well, old thing, I guess I'll try it. You were right about Ibella after all though I confess I almost hated you for a moment then when you ticked me off!" said Jerissa "I just don't like a quiet life, you know."

"No, I noticed" said Varalie.

The party set out to return; Lavanni was suffering a bit more on the return journey for being over tired.

"But I'm glad I went" she said "I'd not have missed it for anything. But I'll be glad to get to the bed I'm accustomed to in the Hold."

Varalie squeezed her friend's thin hand and sang as she had on the way out to take Lavanni's mind off it.

Suddenly she broke off her song.

"Mallene" she called "Stop the others!"

"So much for keeping a low profile" said Jerissa.

"There's a Brown dragon over there" Varalie pointed to a pasture not far from the road "And I think he's ill, for he's a terrible colour!"

"Let's go see" said Jerissa.

The girls threw their reins to Bimall and Biron and dismounted quickly to run over. Runnerbeasts did not appreciate being too close to dragons!

The Brown dragon was pale, almost beige, with a dirty grey sheen to his skin; and the unconscious Rider on his back looked scarcely any better.

"Brown dragon" Varalie addressed the creature, big enough if a little on the small side for a full grown Brown "I need to climb up to help your Rider. I hope you won't think it a liberty."

It was scarce a coherent thought she received in return; but more the impression that his Rider needed help and a desire that she should do what she needed to, to help him.

Varalie climbed up and fumbled with the fighting straps. The Rider groaned.

"It's all right, Brown Rider, we're here to help you" said Varalie. Ket on her shoulder gave a little chirp of reassurance too.

The Rider blinked and tried to focus.

"Fire-lizard? They – they really exist then!" he mumbled, and lapsed back into unconsciousness.

"Really exist? Where the Fardles has he been lately?" laughed Jerissa.

"Shards knows. Oh, how stupid I am!" Varalie gazed into Ket's eyes, concentrating on the idea of a sick dragon, then showing him H'gey's face and the instruction to find the Harper Journeyman.

"Find H'gey!" she said out loud.

Ket chirped and vanished _Between_.

The girls had lowered their patient carefully to the ground when Ket returned, chirruping smugly.

A Blue dragon appeared from _Between_ not two lengths up and Jerissa raised her hand to her head in startlement at feeling the arrival so close; and the dragon came in hastily to land.

The sick Brown Rider came to again and tried to speak.

"It's all right" said Varalie "Help from High Reaches Weyr is crossing the meadow right now. You came _Between _ time, right?"

"Yes" he managed. "High Reaches? T'kul?"

Varalie stared at him open mouthed, shocked out of words!

"What's the matter?" he asked urgently, seeing her horror!


	10. Chapter 10

_Sorry Amere Mortal; I'd ended up accidentally posting two chapters yesterday or I might have given in and posted this one with chapter 9. Apologies to everyone else grinding their teeth over the cliffhanger... _

**Chapter 10**

"What's the matter?" the Brown Rider asked again "Has anything happened to T'kul? Tell me girl!" he fought to sit up in agitation.

"Oh shards" said Varalie "Um…..when did you last live in High Reaches? 'cos if as I'm guessing it was in the last Pass and you're one of the people who came forward to help, you, er, sort of missed your venue and lots has happened since."

"I need to know!" he demanded.

"No, actually you don't" said Varalie "And I'll tell you why; we need to know if you got back from NOW to THEN when you should have, and even if you're here now elsewhere in two places at the same time or have ever been because if you are, you don't ought to know what might be your future then but if you aren't, or weren't then you haven't and I can tell you."

He stared at her as he unravelled that.

"Shards I almost followed that; which really argues for my wits being addled."

"Good" said Varalie ignoring the implied insult "My name's Varalie" she added crisply. He was young, not much older than her and she had no intention of letting him try to push her around.

T'rin came up behind her, having heard Varalie's explanation.

"She's right, Brown Rider, we have to have your name so we can check the records to see if you came through fifteen turns ago when you should have done."

"Say what? Fifteen turns?"

"To the day" said T'rin. "What's your name and your dragon's?"

"I'm T'thar. I ride Rinth."

T'rin had a slightly blank look for a moment.

"Ah the joys of having a foster mother who can speak to all dragons" he grinned.

"Lessa of Benden is your foster mother?" T'thar asked.

"No! Oh, no, my foster mother is T'lana of High Reaches" said T'rin "There's more than one weyrwoman with that skill you know….ah, they've dug out the records….well, it looks like you don't have to worry about getting your timing right, T'thar, for you're on the roll of honour of those who set out but never emerged from _Between_. Trust T'lana to think of checking that first!"

T'thar looked shocked.

"I hope that doesn't mean he's supposed to go back and get lost" said Varalie.

"Don't complicate matters you horrible scrub" said T'rin. "If he was going to fetch up here and meet you, it's inevitable that he'd also meet me and I'd never send anyone back if there was no need; which there isn't."

"SEND, Blue Rider?" said T'thar, stiffly.

"Look, kid, I don't know what seniority you earned, but my standing is good at the Weyr; I'm one of the Weyrharpers as well as holding position in the most dangerous wing" said T'rin "and as such, for my skills I have jurisdiction and position. Colour is not necessarily relevant."

"Things have changed" said T'thar, looking shocked at being bawled out by a Blue Rider. "What happened to T'kul then that the girl looked so put out?"

"He misbehaved and got exiled" said Varalie "He's not dead yet, and plenty say that's more the pity."

"How dare you speak so of a Weyrleader, girl?"

"I dare and shall speak so of a man who lets his dragon flame the commons and fathered brats indiscriminately on unwilling women across half the country!" said Varalie. "Dragonriders are a partnership with the commons as the Charter lays down, not common brigands to prey on them!"

"Enough, Varalie, you're tiring him" said T'rin.

"She's lying, surely!" said T'thar.

T'rin shrugged.

"Alas that she is not. T'kul didn't like the way society has changed; nor did T'ron. Societies change; it's the sign that they are living and vibrant not dead and stagnant. Especially with something like the Long Interval" his voice was soothing, reasonable. "We take a different view now to the one of the last Pass; and according to the Harpers it is closer to the way the original charter had been written. We expect to be respected for putting our lives on the line; we expect to be supported with food and goods for the same. But we do not want grovelling deference, nor would we get it; for grovelling shames the man grovelled to as well as the groveller. And we respect the people and cleave to our oath to protect – and SERVE which so many of the old tie had forgotten was a part of it. We do NOT think that the people should need protecting from us. And if you disagree, when you're fit you shall be given the co-ordinates for Southern to join T'kul rather than joining High Reaches. And you must consider where you stand."

"I – no the people should not need protecting from dragonriders, it – this is all a shock."

"'Course it is laddie" said T'rin. "well done you girls for getting me here and getting him down. There's nothing rest won't cure, no Threadfall due here for a sevenday, so why don't you kids rally the boys to help me build T'thar a shelter against the elements until he's ready to fly to High Reaches?"

The other fosterlings had drifted over, even Lavanni coming to the edge of the field, the runners left hitched to cart or field wall. T'rin's call for fosterlings to make themselves useful soon had Bimall, Biron, Rulene, Mallitta, Avor and Sebet helping. Sifella and Mirinda stayed at a distance, making fashionable cries of fear if either dragon moved, and refusing to do anything they dubbed unladylike. Varalie thought much more of Rulene for mucking in and grinned at her companionably. Ketse tried, predictably, to direct operations and was asked rather curtly by T'rin how many shelters HE had built to spend time living Holdless.

As the answer was none, T'rin told the boy bluntly to either do as he was told or stay the crackdust out of the way of everyone else under the direction of one who DID know what he was doing.

Ketse retired, hurt.

Matrul of course had never even come over; he whined about getting his hands dirty like a common labourer and T'rin just gave him a look of contempt.

Sifella decided that she might mince across the meadow in order to hold the Brown Rider's head and coo at him, to Mallene's discomfort; but the Holder's wife could say nothing without censuring Varalie too, who had acted out of compassion and had addressed the young Brown Rider – to Mallene's secret amusement – rather in the way she spoke to young Biron!

T'thar found Sifella's ministrations distinctly uncomfortable; and T'rin fell back on an old formula that had served him well before, saying,

"Sweetlips, the man's in no state to lay you, and I don't think he's got the marks on him to pay an expensive piece of toty like you anyway."

Sifella gasped.

"What CAN you mean, Blue rider?" she trilled, rather tightly "SURELY you're not suggesting I'm a loving wench?"

"Oh, aren't you?" said T'rin, sounding surprised "The number of Bronze and Brown Riders you tried to cosy up to at the Gather, then your try on me, I thought you were. So sorry if I was wrong!"

It was a message to T'thar as well.

"I'd like to sit up" said that young man "If Sweetlips will take her goods elsewhere."

He caught on fast!

"Good lad, glad you're feeling a bit better" said T'rin. "Lady Mallene! Have you any food and water?"

"I'll go over and find some" said Bimall.

"No, you're too useful holding that pole to be an errand boy" said T'rin. "Here, small fry, Mallitty or whatever your name is, you go!"

"It's Mallitta, Blue Rider" said Mallitta, not displeased that he had come close. "I'm on my way!"

"Good girl" approved T'rin.

The kid was a turn or so older than his adored foster sister Sagarra; and seemed a nice child despite her father! Perhaps she might foster at the Weyr for a turn; T'rin thought he'd put that to T'lana at some point!

Several meat rolls later, T'thar was a better colour.

"Y'see, Sifella" murmured Jerissa "Men, like firelizards, respond better to having food poked into them than being drowned in your udder."

The look Sifella gave the girl could have frozen Thread into crackdust!

T'rin strode over to where Mallene watched helplessly with Lavanni, who was not squeaking the way Mirinda still was.

"The Weyr appreciates your kind help to one of our own" said T'rin formally "But I imagine you'll want to get on?"

Mallene nodded.

"I'd like to get them back before dark" she said.

T'rin nodded.

"If you can lend me the two imps who already more or less count as weyrfolk and one of the boys I'll drop them off later" he said. Mallene nodded, eased in her mind that T'rin described the girls in terms suited to children; and that he tacitly accepted her need for a male protector to stay with them!

"Bimall will gladly stay" she said.

"Oh mother, may I?" asked Biron "Instead or as well. Bimall has so many responsibilities at the Hold."

Mallene caught her eldest son's eye; and Bimall nodded, smiling at the younger boy.

Biron grinned all over his face!

"I could have been more use than him" muttered Sebet to Varalie "You might have spoken up to suggest it."

"Why?" said Varalie "It would have been most improper! Why no-one else can drive that cart half so well for Lavanni. You think more of runners than dragons anyway, why this sudden enthusiasm for dragons?"

"It's not a sudden enthusiasm for dragons! It's a non-sudden enthusiasm for you!" cried Sebet.

Varalie stared at him.

"Don't be so silly" she said.

"Silly? Is it silly to love you, even if you do make up to the highest ranking male in the Hold and to dragonmen?"

Varalie's mouth dropped open in disbelief.

"I've never 'made up' to any man, you wherry-headed addle brained idiot!" she said

"What about Bimall? You gave him an egg!"

"Oh shards, is that what it's over? That I thought he'd find a firelizard more useful than you? I didn't trust you to care for a firelizard properly because it doesn't wear a saddle! Anyway, you made it abundantly plain you despised them so when I thought about giving you one I decided you'd not appreciate it and gave that one to Mallitta instead!"

Sebet had made plenty of disparaging remarks about firelizards; and it was fair comment, which deep down he was forced to acknowledge.

"That's not the point" he said.

"Well what is? Hurry up and tell me, Mallene wants to get going and you're holding everyone up."

"Do you love Bimall?"

"I don't love anyone. I don't feel ready for that. And I certainly resent being accused of anything so soppy and yukworthy as 'making up' to anyone you know, as though I were a silly creature like Sifella!"

"It just seemed….you seemed glad to see the Riders. And you spoke to Bronze Riders…."

"Who was serving on the stall; I was buying something. And I thanked him for Lavanni's chair; and I asked about apprenticing with him as a woodcrafter. Shells, Sebet, why would I want to have anything romantic – even if I didn't despise romance – with someone as middle aged as a senior journeyman – he has a tassel you know - wingleader? And the other Bronze Rider spoke to me first to warn me against gambling too freely and to pass me racing tips. And he was positively ancient! That's all, you wherry-headed caprine!"

"You're cross with me" he said,

"Well, yes, rather. I like you Sebet, but it's no more. I don't WANT romance. I daresay if I Impress my dragon will pick a mate; and at that time it'll seem right. But that's ages in the future, more than a turn, even if I Impress right away. Do go away or I'll be in trouble with Mallene AGAIN and it not even my fault!"

Sebet nodded curtly and turned to walk away.

"You're blunt" T'thar's voice spoke from the other side of the wider wall they were erecting.

"Did nobody ever tell you that eavesdropping wasn't nice?" said Varalie tartly, going round the screen.

"You learn an awful lot though….like that you're planning to be a candidate. Did you mean what you said about lovers?"

"Certainly. I'm having too much fun in life to waste time getting icky about men."

T'thar laughed.

"I must say I find women a bit scary myself" he said "Though Rinth couldn't manage a Queen, any chance of being friends for now and see what develops as we grow up a bit?"

"Oh I'll not be standing for a Queen – I'll be very happy to be a Green Rider" said Varalie. "And on the terms you offer, yes, I'll be your friend. So long as it's that and no pretence to make me cange my mind about men."

"Green? Times HAVE changed!" he was shaken "I meant what I said about friends. Green? The Holderfolk must have gotten braver if they'll let their women take risks for less prestige!"

"I guess so" said Varalie "I don't know. I don't know what it was like in your time. I know there's plenty women ready to take risks in exchange for not being treated like currency."

"Hmph" said T'thar "What it was like was all kiss-my-arse while Thread still fell; than as soon as the Interval started, there were studied insolences making it known we were no longer wanted to eat the tithed food."

"That" said T'rin coming over "Is why the Weyr busies itself getting to know the commons better these days, takes a wide Search so many Holds feel they have the investment of their own blood in the Weyr and makes itself available for other things than fighting Thread. If coming to us for help gets to be a habit, we shouldn't have any problems at the end of this Pass."

"Hmm, I see the idea" said T'thar "I can also see T'kul wouldn't like it."

"His problem. Not mine" shrugged T'rin. "I look to T'bor for MY Weyrleader, and he's a good man. You'll like him – if you ARE staying with us not joining T'kul in exile where nobody has to fight Thread because the grubs eat it all."

"I became a dragonrider to fight Thread" said T'thar proudly "And I'll not be shirking my responsibility!"

"Good man" said T'rin. "Rinth's a much better colour now; I've sent Renpeth to hunt down a few wild wherries for him; I should think he's hungry."

"Thanks" said T'thar "I think we're both a better colour!"

T'rin nodded.

"All right boys and girls, one last effort to finish this shelter and build a withy bed in it and I'll get you younglings home. I'll come back and spend the night with you T'thar; it'll get lonely else. And I've no fear of sleeping ouside for I'm used enough to it."

T'thar gave T'rin a quick look over the phrase 'spend the night with you'; but the young Blue Rider made no overt sexual moves.

Varalie giggled, failing to understand T'thar's look.

"And how many women will you disappoint by not warming their furs, you reprobate?" she asked cheekily.

T'rin planted a sharp rebuke on her backside.

"H'gey's been exaggerating my love life again I see!" he said sounding injured. "I never have more than two women at once….well except that one time….and never on the same night!"

Varalie giggled again and T'thar looked distinctly relieved!

When they got back, Lavanni was asleep; and Varalie's nose twitched at the pungent scent of fellis.

**DDDD**_over excited_**DDDD** tapped Relga.

"Poor kid" said Varalie "I wish she wasn't so scared of dragons. It would have been much easier on her to have come home on Renpeth. I wager he could have gone Straight too to keep the cold off her back."

Mallitta was in bed too, sent early for her age, but she was not asleep.

"Isn't it ROMANTIC, Varalie, to have rescued a handsome Brown Rider?" she said, sitting up and hugging her knees.

"Romantic? Silly girl" said Varalie "It was fortunate we were passing, but I dare say someone would have reported it and the Weyr would have rescued their own. Of course the food helped – and running for that you're due thanks, kiddie – but it's only a matter of time recovering from Timing it. As for 'handsome Brown Rider' well, he's a well looking little boy I suppose, he's no older than Biron. And if he were I'd STILL not find it romantic; that's plain silliness." She was laughing.

"You've not got an ounce of romance in your soul, Varalie!" grumbled Mallitta.

"'Fraid not!" agreed Varalie with no trace of regret in her voice.

Mallene, outside the door was much relieved!

Rescuing a dragonman in distress was enough to send even the normally most stable girls a little silly – even her youngest daughter, it seemed, who she might have thought too young!

T'rin dropped in a couple of days later to report that Rinth and T'thar were now safely in the Weyr; and to formally extend the thanks of the Weyr to the Hold for lending succour to a Rider in distress, his words given publicly and before all beholden there.

And if one old worthy was heard to spit with contempt and reckon that 'any aid ol' Bite-rule give the weyr were bound ter be by accident and were like t'cause t'owd bugger pheesical pain' then T'rin managed a bout of selective and diplomatic deafness over such a comment!

T'thar himself came the next day, with belt knives as gifts for all who had helped build the shelter.

"I'm sorry they're plain" he said "But getting so many on short notice meant I had to opt for quality or decoration; not both. I hope that's all right?"

Mallitta gave him a bear hug and a kiss on the cheek, to her mother's horror, and the disgruntled squeak of her little green firelizard startled off her shoulder!

"We expected no gift, T'thar" said Varalie "we did what was right. But I will not disrespect you by refusing such kindness; thank you, these are very fine knives indeed!"

He looked pleased.

"You seemed so practical, you girls" he said "So I thought you'd like something as practical as the boys."

"I'll say!" said Jerissa, trying the blade and promptly cutting herself.

Varalie rolled her eyes and grinned at a concerned T'Thar.

"It's only a Jerissa moment" she explained, staunching the blood with her own handkerchief – Jerissa's being a mucky looking rag – "If you lived with her you'd know. When we both come to live with you in the Weyr you will know."

"There's a Rider called T'han in the Weyr who had that sort of reputation when he was a weyrling" said T'thar. "He's about my age, and he's glad to have a friend who doesn't know his history in detail! He's just returned from being a Hold assigned Rider."

"Oh it don't stop us liking her" said Varalie "And I dare say we can resist teasing her when she settles down. It's just that she's a little, well, exciting to know. Trouble finds her like water runs downhill."

"And she finds trouble too" murmured Bimall, who had had to rescue Jerissa from her cliff climbing debacle.

"Oh, T'han never goes looking" laughed T'thar "I reckon he'll like you, Jerissa, if you dispel memories of his exploits with your!"

"Oh T'thar! Don't encourage her, please!" cried Varalie, dismayed.

Lavanni chuckled.

"The only thing that could discourage Jerissa is being chained in a kennel like a watch-wher" she said.

"Tempting, Lavanni. Very tempting" said Varalie, her own handkerchief now ruined. "Very tempting indeed!"

Jerissa threw a cushion at her; which with a bound thumb missed and hit Bimall!


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Whether Bitrul would willingly do a favour for the Weyr or no, he considered his lady and eldest son capable of clever politicking in order to be in favour; and Bimall basked rather uncomfortably in his father's favour. Even his firelizard was almost forgiven! Life was relatively quiet and peaceful for two whole sevendays; even Jerissa managing not to do anything too drastic, so long as one did not count her and Varalie's occasional sabotage of dance measures when Sifella was being particularly spiteful about Lavanni. When Mallene noticed and called Varalie to task, the girl claimed that she could not concentrate because she was 'upset about her friend being upset'. Sifella was duly spoken to by Mallene; and kept her feelings more to herself from then on!

Varalie loved playing her new gitar and was much in demand for evening entertainments. There was a brief, unpleasant interlude when prompted by distress from Ket, Varalie went to where he was in the dormitory, to find Mirinda and a hammer next to her gitar with Ket valiantly flying at the other girl's face.

Varalie summoned Ket to her, where he sat, on her shoulder, hissing like a real kettle on her shoulder.

"Well?" said Varalie.

Mirinda sneered.

"You get yourself noticed all the time! And you're not even pretty! Yes, I was going to smash your precious gitar to smithereens! There, and I'll deny it if you sneak!"

Varalie blinked. How the Red Star was she going to deal with this.

"Yes you are much prettier than me; I'd be a fool to deny it, though you'll not remain so for long with the sneer lines and discontent lines you pull" she said evenly "And if any of my things are touched, you spiteful piece, believe me, I'll break the only thing YOU value too. Any place my gitar is broken, I'll place a slash across your face. Smash it to smithereens and you'll wish you were only Threadscored. It's not my fault I was born cleverer than you any more that it's your fault you were born prettier. For shards sake, if you wanted to play music why didn't you ask your parents to send you to the Harper Hall? Your folk are a lot better off than my grandfather, you could afford to stay more than half a turn I wager!"

Mirinda gasped in horror as Varalie threatened to cut her face. Varalie was bluffing; but her cold calm voice made Mirinda believe her!

"I'll tell Mallene what you threatened"

"And then I'll tell her I caught you in my things trying to spoil my gitar – the most expensive thing I've ever owned – and doubtless stealing from me too" said Varalie. She had transferred her store of marks to her old gitar, that looked untouched; but hinting at dishonest was a serious charge!

"I'm no thief!"

"No? What about the hard earned savings I shelled out on my gitar? Destroying stuff is the same as stealing it, you know. And if you're ready to dishonestly sneak and you do one sly thing, how do I know you don't go the whole way?" demanded Varalie. "I'm certainly going to tell the other girls I caught you in my things and suggest they check if all their marks are intact. Now get out; you make me sick. I don't ever want to talk to you again. I neither know nor care what you vaguely imagine I have done to you bar mostly ignore you to be so violently and underhandedly spiteful. I wish I might never have to see you again; but I'll be gone soon and you can throw your puppy-fat around at the new fosterlings."

That shaft went home; Mirinda's curves were voluptuous to the point of being overblown, as she wavered between her love of sweet things and trying to control her figure! Mirinda ran off.

Varalie took the hammer back to the drudge-handyman's cupboard and informed the surprised man that she had found it lying around and supposed someone unauthorised had borrowed it. He thanked her profusely; Bitrul would blame his drudges if any tools went missing!

The thought of her gitar being smashed made Varalie feel rather sick; and she was more introverted and withdrawn than was her wont, indeed more than since the apprentices at the Harper Hall had drawn her out of herself! It was this preoccupation that, she firmly believed, led her to miss the signs of incipient Jerissaness.

Varalie always scrupulously checked Threadfall charts these days in preparation for weyrling training; and found that Bimall had posted a notice to the effect that, whilst Thread was not due to fall over the Hold for another three sevendays, it would pass along the edge of the outer beholden cotholds and might, if winds were strong, blow into Twosprings territory. He asked for volunteers to walk sweep along the borders; and Varalie volunteered at once although Fall would be at night. She was getting used to Thread, as much as one ever did, and appreciated the efficiency of High Reaches Weyr that made the job easy.

It was the evening before she was due to go out that Varalie noticed that Jerissa was not in the room as she played gitar for the others to dance to; and the girl did not return either.

"I'm packing in early" she said firmly "I need an hour's rest before I have to turn out." She went however looking for Jerissa first; though she would have dearly liked to take rest.

Jerissa was not in the dormitory, where Varalie half hoped to find her, taking her own opportunity to rest if she too had decided to volunteer. Her good boots were not there either.

"Little ass!" muttered Varalie "Where's she gone now?"

"To find firelizard eggs" said Mallitta, coming in behind her. "She wouldn't let me go; said it was a stiff climb out towards Fleecytops Hold."

Varalie stared in horror.

"Fleecytops? But Threadfall is due there in just under three hours! I'll have to get her back! Mallitta, tell your mother where I've gone, and tell her that when I've found Jerissa, if she's in danger I'll send Ket to ask T'rin for aid. Don't let her worry about sending anyone after me and risking them; I'll be taking a flamethrower too and a can of agenothree in case if Threadscore! Tell Bimall I shan't make sweep too!"

Mallitta nodded, scared; and Varalie hurried to get a heavy Wherhide jacket and fill a flamethrower to take. Heavy as it was, she ran; then slowed to a jog as her injudicious pace started a stitch aching in her side.

By her reckoning, Jerissa had had an hour's start; and that would take a fit girl half way to her target. A runnerbeast would soon overtake her; the sweep walkers were to leave soon on runners, but they were using roads. The light was starting to go, as much from intermittent cloud cover as the closing of the evening's crepuscularity, and Varalie did not think herself a good enough rider not to risk taking a fall of the beast stumbled. Besides, if Jerissa was hurt, she could not protect her friend and a runner if Thread fell; and she would not wish such a death for the poor creature, for however the Weyr might be, some Thread always got through. And though the increasing grubs were starting to make some difference, Thread had still to reach the ground to reach the grubs.

The stitch became worse; and she stopped to ease it. Again she remembered Ket! She gave him the image of Jerissa, and urged the little bronze to show the girl the urgency of returning home.

Ket returned with an apologetic chirp, and images of Jerissa laughing.

"Little idiot'll laugh on the other side of her face if she walks into Fall" growled Varalie to herself.

It took Varalie almost another two hours before Ket chirped recognition of the place he had seen Jerissa; and at the sound of another firelizard, her Pell replied.

"Varalie?" a voice called from high on the river cliffs "I never thought you'd come after me, whatever did you do that for? I'm quite safe, and I was right – there's three green clutches up here!"

"And Thread due to fall in just a few minutes you wherry headed scatter brained dimglow!" cried Varalie, her voice echoing her fear.

"Thread?" Jerissa heard that fear in Varalie's voice "I didn't think it was due for days yet!"

"Not at the Hold, no! You're in a different zone now you – you CLUNCH!" said Varalie staring up at the white face that had suddenly appeared on the dark cliffs. "Is there a cave up there?"

"It's a scrape more than a cave…. I reckon we can both just about get in it" said Jerissa a little doubtfully.

"Rope? Did you bring rope? I don't climb as well as you!"

Varalie's question was answered by a rope snaking down; and she carefully tied the flamethrower to the end before climbing it with painful concentration and a facility engendered by fear. She pulled up the flamethrower onto the narrow ledge on which she found herself.

The scrape was deep enough for two young girls hunched up, and the clutch of eggs that was within it.

Jerissa scrambled out again.

"What the Fardles are you after now?" demanded Varalie.

"Two more clutches – they'll be killed when Thread falls! Here, take them!"

Varalie took the eggs passed back to her, forbearing to point out that if all the eggs laid by green firelizards hatched, then Pern would be full of green firelizards; and also did not mention that in her opinion these exposed eggs were not warm enough to have survived.

The green firelizard that had made her nest in the scrape seemed to have made a better job of things; as well as the shelter, she had made a nest of wherry-down, to which some bits of wherry was still attached, presumably scavenged after another creature's kill or an accidental death. The smell of rotting wherry did nothing for the ambience of the cave; but the heat of the decay did keep the eggs warm. And the shells did not seem to have been penetrated by anything feeding on dead wherry or live firelizard.

The first flames of the flaming dragons began high above them.

"It's Fall" said Jerissa, sounding close to tears.

"Yes" said Varalie, knowing she had to be calm for her normally insouciant and now suddenly scared friend. "I've a flamethrower; and I know how to use it. I'll protect you."

"Oh Varalie! I AM sorry!"

"I know" said Varalie, looking for any sign of silvery Thread. Shards, the cloud cover meant that the one moon that was up would be masked; it would be impossible to see! She wondered whether to give a quick burst of the flamethrower as illumination; but it would destroy what night vision she had, as well as wasting precious fuel. And her cheerful assurance that she would send to T'rin when she found Jerissa was impossible; either he was up there flying Fall or he was waiting to swap in and could not be disturbed in either case!

Indeed the situation was more difficult for T'rin than she realised; for T'rin flew on the special 'Protective' wing of just a dozen dragonriders picked from the steadiest riders and some of the strongest dragons. It was headed by H'llon and seconded by both Z'kan and K'shon, the latter of whose radical ideas had seen its improvement. K'shon could sense exactly where dragons were and one of the advantages of the wing was that all the dragons n it were friendly enough to talk to all the other Riders in it, and tuned in to K'shon, allowing them to use flamethrowers as well as flaming breath. The wing covered weyrlings bringing more firestone as well as covering the changeover of fresh Riders and dragons for tired ones, an operation co-ordinated by T'lana, with her ability to hear all dragons. The Protective Wing flew the greater part of fall, from the time firestone needed replenishing to the end and T'rin had to concentrate very hard the whole time, and literally could not have taken any message!

Varalie briefly considered sending word to H'gey, as his Brieth was still juvenile; but she did not see that there was anything the Harper could do; and she was not sure how coherent a message Ket could send. Unlike established High Reaches Weyr folk it had not become second nature to her to carry paper and a graphite stick – and she had come out without it!

The clouds cleared to a haze; and the light of Belior, the lesser moon, struggled through.

It was enough; and in time. Varalie let fly with a flamethrower.

Jerissa swallowed. Despite having seen Thread fall this was the closest she had ever been to it before!

Varalie kept concentrating; and blasted every time the clumps of squirming grey mass came anywhere near the cave.

A gold firelizard appeared from _Between_ in front of her; gave a startled squawk, and vanished again. She wore a collar; and Varalie wondered to whom she looked.

She had not long to wonder.

The little queen turned up again and politely extended her neck to reveal a note tucked in her collar.

"Take it and read it Jer" said Varalie.

Jerissa unfolded the concertina and read,

"You silly kids, will send cover, sit tight, T'lana" in a hasty scrawl.

"Whew!" said Varalie "Give your human our thanks, little queen!"

The gold firelizard chirped obligingly and winked out again.

In just moments, it seemed, flames were roaring out above them at the height of the top of the cliff; and a merry girl's voice called,

"You kids all right?"

"Better for the company!" called Varalie.

There were several gouts of fire.

"What the fardles are you doing there?" came the question.

"My friend didn't know this was another zone" said Varalie "And when I realised she was out here I came after her. Lady Holder Mallene knows, I left a message for her."

"You'd not be Varalie and Jerissa by chance?" asked the voice.

"That's us!" called Jerissa.

"Um. I heard one of you was scatty and the other was steady – would you now" – another gout of flame – "And I'm guessing Steady followed Scatty."

"That's true, I'm afraid" called Jerissa "I'm Scatty Jerissa."

"I did bring a flamethrower" said Varalie.

"Yes; it's how T'lana saw you" said the voice "At some distance to the regular sweep. By the way, I'm Sh'anne. E'ledur and I Impressed last turn, but we've not done chewing firestone yet. Fortunately they let us loose with flamethrowers."

"Yeah" said another voice, a boy's voice. "Fortunately we got considered steady enough to learn _Between_ flight early; so we're the spares, not on regular firestone carrying duty! I'd not be in your shoes, though, T'lana's incandescent!"

"Well it wasn't Jerissa's fault she didn't realise it was the next zone" said Varalie "And I don't see what else I could have done."

"Written an message and sent your firelizard to her to get her to come back?" suggested Sh'anne laconically.

There was a long silence.

"I never thought of it" said Varalie. "I guess I'm just not used to having writing materials; I was never permitted any when I was growing up, it's still very strange."

"I'll let T'lana know that" said Sh'anne "She'll accept that; and if it wasn't done as a lark you'll get off lighter."

Fall was almost over by this time, only clumps blown haphazardly in the light gusty breezes a potential danger; and Pell and Ket started humming. There was a SNICK! From the middle of the green's clutch.

"Ooh!" said Jerissa "I brought meat just in case – c'mon Var!"

Varalie opened her mouth to protest; then shrugged and gave in. She was of no further use with her flamethrower with Fall all but over and adequately dealt with by the senior weyrlings above.

There were six eggs in the clutch.

The first one out was a brown.

"Oooh!" said Jerissa "I thought all green firelizards laid were other greens!"

"Shut up and poke meat if you want to Impress" said Varalie.

The little brown was too busy ravenously biting at half rotten wherry to take notice of either of the girls; and other eggs were breaking! In the end they found themselves with two more firelizards each, Jerissa with two greens, and Varalie with a green and a blue! The final green firelizard and the brown evaded Impression and were gorging on the other eggs Jerissa had so carefully brought into the cave. The girl gave a sardonic laugh.

"Oh well, they were useful for something!"

"They were dead of cold out on the cliff anyway if you ask me" said Varalie.

Jerissa sighed.

"I love all animals, I hate to see unnecessary suffering and death" she said.

Varalie nodded. "It's why you're basically so nice."

Tired out, the girls leaned against each other with satiated firelizards hung about them; and were soon as fast asleep as the little creatures they had just Impressed!


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

T'lana and Mallene both glared at the girls when they had been returned to the Hold.

"Well?" said T'lana.

Varalie went through it again.

"It was my fault really though" said Jerissa "I didn't check; I knew Threadfall was due at the Hold in some twenty days, it never occurred to me that I might cross zones."

"It only occurred to me because I walk sweep and checked the board; and found Bimall wanted volunteers to do the boundaries" said Varalie.

"Hmph" said T'lana "They're half Hold half Weyr right now….what do you say, Mallene? I suppose it was an easy enough mistake; though what the chit is doing haring off in the evening like that for I don't quite know!"

"I couldn't get away earlier, is why" said Jerissa. "I figured if I could get there and back in the light, all well and good; and Belior would be up until midnight. Or else I could sneak in after dawn. I'm not bothered about spending a night outside, I've done it before when I used to travel with my father."

"But why? Where were you off to?" demanded Mallene.

Jerissa displayed her new firelizards.

"Wild green clutches. I TOLD you they were there!"

Mallene buried her face in her hands.

"I am SICK of this obsession with firelizards!" she cried.

"They are a flaming nuisance unless they're well trained" agreed T'lana. "But a healthier obsession I should say than for chasing boys. Myself, Mallene, I'd be almost inclined to make them report to me every hour to show they're still around; and set a drudge to watch them sleep for a few days to teach them to be trustworthy. But it's your Hold."

Mallene nodded.

"I almost agree….more Jerissa than Varalie, who's trustworthy enough when not dragged into trouble….but, weyrwoman, I'd need to do it for the rest of the fosterage because Jerissa just suddenly bursts out with – with…."

"Jerissaness" supplied Varalie, who was burning red with humiliation over the idea of such a punishment.

"I'm not sure we'd want Jerissaness at the Weyr" said T'lana, surveying Jerissa coldly.

Jerissa gave a cry of horror!

"Oh PLEASE weyrwoman! Truly, this has made me think much more than any punishment could – I nearly managed to kill my best friend by being heedless! Honestly, I've learned my lesson – I'll DEAL with being cooped up and unable to breathe under Mallene's rules until there's a clutch, I will!"

T'lana regarded her steadily; then nodded.

"Yes, I believe you have learned" she said "Well, I don't doubt there'll be minor bouts of Jerissaness, but I believe you'll think a bit further ahead and consider consequences a little more carefully in future. Will you set that punishment, Lady Mallene?"

Mallene pulled a face.

"No; it ties me and I have had enough punishment from those two already. I say that in their spare time they can help the drudges; Varalie to inventory the stores, Jerissa to help with the spring scrubbing of all the necessaries."

The punishment was apportioned where she felt most blame lay; she understood Varalie's actions, but still felt that the girl should have come to her first!

T'lana privately disagreed; unless Mallene had thought of sending a written message to Jerissa by firelizard – and she would not have done, having no interest in or knowledge of their capabilities – Jerissa might well have died in Fall without fire to burn out Thread had Varalie not reached her in the nick of time, and she had been caught unawares outside the scrape.

"You should have contacted T'rin or H'gey ahead of Fall" she said to Varalie.

"I didn't like to - if I found Jerissa quickly and got her back, it would have been an unwarrantable intrusion to call on a dragonrider!" explained Varalie. "H'gey was always scathing about Holderfolk who treated dragonmen as a convenience!"

T'lana grunted.

"Well that's a case of a good lesson learned well enough to be a bad lesson" she said "It's true enough that some people are too demanding in unnecessary situations; but you were afraid for your friend, and Thread formed the main part of that fear; and that makes it Weyr business and so there is no intrusion. A dragon could have taken visualisations from Ket if you sent him to Jerissa and we'd have got her home long before Fall started and frightened of nothing worse than the threat of a good spanking…..and I'd not have had to send out two scarce Blooded weyrlings who could have been of use bringing firestone to the main fighting wings; and who would not have had to take the extra risk of staying on the cliffs to protect the both of you; so the use of weyr resources became greater overall!"

Sh'anne and E'ledur had been in little danger; and were only standing by as reserve firestone carriers in any case – but T'lana wanted the message driven home.

Varalie dissolved into tears at the thought of risking dragonriders; and Jerissa was already sobbing.

"Well!" said T'lana gruffly "DO try to remember that you've something in your heads apart from stuffing to keep your ears apart!"

"We will, weyrwoman!" sniffed Varalie.

Jerissa nodded fervently, too overcome to answer!

T'lana touched Varalie's face.

"I'm not entirely displeased with the way you handled it, dear one" she said "For in a crisis it is always better to make a decision, any decision, even if it is not the best decision, than to vacillate and make no decision at all. As you grow more experienced your decisions will grow wiser; but in the circumstances you did not do too badly. Just remember, another time, that you don't have to rescue Jerissa – or anyone else – from the consequences of their actions without support from others. A hard lesson when you've been used to having precious little support, hmmm?"

Varalie nodded. T'lana went on,

"I found it a hard lesson myself; and one day I'll tell you of the time T'bor threatened to strangle me for scaring him silly with my own weyrling escapades, trusting no-one else to a task and not confiding in anyone for fear of being forbidden what I knew I had to do! Now, try, dears, both of you, to stay out of trouble until Tamalenth clutches!"

"We will!" they assured her solemnly!

They even meant it!

oOoOo

Nobody could say that the porcine debacle was in any way Jerissa's fault, though it took Varalie a lot of talking backed up with the testimony of others to convince Mallene it was not just a lark!

The girls had been relatively subdued – spats with the likes of Matrul, Ketse and Sifella apart; and if a bout of wishful thinking was interpreted by a firelizard as a direction to sprinkle cayenne pepper in Matrul's unattended bubbly pie well, that was just unfortunate. As it was, filled with relative virtue, they were walking out, quite sedately, with Lavanni when it happened.

The swineherd was moving all the sows to farrow in the big stone barn, so they would not have to be moved inside with piglets complicating matters for Threadfall; and one old sow decided that she was not going.

The problem was that where she wanted to go was through Jerissa!

The old sow lowered her head and charged; with the result of which Jerissa was thrown off balance and astride the sow.

Jerissa squealed, once, in shock.

The sow squealed, continuously, in outrage.

Jerissa shut her eyes and clung on for grim death.

The sow set her sights on the Hold's kitchen vegetable patch and charged.

When she stopped suddenly, Jerissa did not.

Varalie helped her friend, weeping and giggling hysterically both at the same time from the compost mound that was fortunately open, not covered, as it was against Thread, with stone shutters.

Mallene, apprised of the rumpus, ran out scolding and it took the combined efforts of Varalie and the swineherd to convince her that it was not Jerissa's fault and that the girl was a victim of circumstances.

"And it goes to show" said Mallene "What sort of girl you've been and how heedless that I assumed you'd taken a fit to ride a sow in reckless naughtiness! Now go and change – and bathe. You stink!"

Biron had seen it all, for he had pleaded off a lot of lessons to work the Hold under his brother and he had been helping with the spring planting of the vegetables. He could not resist teasing Jerissa!

"At least I only ride a porcine" she retorted "You are one!"

Biron grinned.

"Reckon though, if you're ever going off on one of your mad freaks, all I'll have to do is grunt!" he said.

"Huh, who'd notice the difference to your normal speech?" Jerissa had a quick reply – though she had a sneaking suspicion it might just make her pause!

Jerissa was bruised for a sevenday and very stiff.

The sow farrowed without apparent ill effect and brought forth her customary dozen piglets.

Rumour had it that the cab pig was named 'Lady Jerissa' and made a pet of by the swineherd just for the amusing memory!

"Your friendship with that madcap Jerissa creature gets you into trouble" Sebet said disparagingly to Varalie one day when he had asked her to ride out with him.

"AH well, I dare say she'll grow out of being so flighty" said Varalie philosophically. "At least she doesn't try to be what she isn't like poor Rulene does. And I suppose it does make life interesting."

"I don't like your friendship with her" said Sebet obstinately.

"Oh?" Varalie's voice held a danger tone of disapproval.

"No" said Sebet.

"Then" said Varalie "I guess you'll just have to do the other thing won't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"If you don't like it, you can just put up with it. I'm not about to drop a friend on the say so of another scrubby foster brat who's not even so close a friend to me as Jerissa is. And I'm surprised at you even mentioning it. There's no vice in Jerissa, she just has, as you Runnerbred would say, an odd kick in her gallop. And if I had to choose, I'd choose her first, you know, not you."

Sebet did not like that.

"All right" he managed "I would RATHER you did not see so much of her, especially when we're married."

Varalie reined in.

"Pardon me? Since when were we getting married? For one thing I've not been asked, and for another I'm not getting married at all!"

Sebet went dull red.

"I wrote to my father about how much I liked you; and he wrote to your grandfather" he said "My father wrote to me, I got the letter this morning, and it's all arranged. I thought you knew!"

Varalie was momentarily speechless.

"How DARE he! How dare that hidebound old hypocrite arrange my life?" she shouted, eyes blazing with fury. "Sebet, are you a complete idiot? You KNOW I'm going to the Weyr, how could you think I'd be stupid enough to throw up that chance and marry anyone, let alone someone I only feel mild liking for?"

Sebet shrugged warily; her rage had shocked him!

"I guess I thought you'd seen better of Weyr life once you got caught out in Fall, knowing what a dragonrider would have to do….or else you might go to a single hatching out of courtesy and marry me afterwards."

"Sebet, there is nothing on Pern would make me marry you! Does your father not care if you have an unwilling bride? Is he happy to subject me to your rape?"

Sebet looked outraged.

"I think he thought you weren't unwilling – I don't rape!"

"No? It's what unwilling marriage brings! You shall write to your father and tell him that if I am kidnapped away from the Weyr and forced into this – this INFAMOUS match, I'll see to it that your Hold sickens and all your runners are poor. Lessa did it at Ruatha to Fax; and by the First Egg, so too could I!"

Sebet was close to tears.

"I – I thought you were happy about it because you hadn't refused the match or said anything to me about it" he blurted out "It never occurred to me that your grandfather wouldn't consult you! He sounds so mean – if you think my father and I are like that, I can see why you're angry, but you're wrong, plain wrong!"

"He is mean" said Varalie "Sebet, I do like you – like I've said often enough – but it's not even a deep abiding friendship, we'll meet in a turn or two and likely not even recognise each other. I certainly don't want to wed you."

"You've made that abundantly plain" he said bitterly. "I could never forget you, you – you're so full of fun, and oh, what's the use? However much I love you you'll spurn me!"

"Huh, it's not just you, you poor prune! I don't feel any deep friendship for any boys – I'm not soppy! I don't want to marry anyone, or have lovers, Hold, Weyr or – or LLAMA!" she said vehemently. "I want to live my life, and maybe I'll pick a husband or weyrmate when I'm ready. Though if you are my friend at all, Sebet will you please do something for me?" she added anxiously.

He nodded.

"Anything!"

"Don't promise so readily" she said tartly "Or I'll be tempted to ask you to get the Dawn Sisters to wear on a necklace!"

"I would if I could!"

"Don't be romantic! I HATE romantic!" she almost shouted.

"Well, what was it you wanted me to do?" the frustrated lover asked sulkily.

"Only to cover for me if my grandfather turns up breathing fire and trying to force a wedding" she said "To give me time to contact the Weyr. You owe that to me to repair some of the damage you've done with this foolishness!"

Sebet nodded, sighing to himself for the damage to his own heart; or at least ego.

"Of course" he said "I'll do anything to make sure you're happy."

Varalie managed not to shudder at such soppiness; it would be unkind.

"Thank you Sebet" she said. "That's a friendly gesture; and you'll soon get over thinking you're in love with me and find some nice wet little girl who's happy to let her husband dictate who she may be friends with and who she may not. You'd hate having me as a wife anyway; I'd not take any of THAT sort of nonsense, I can tell you!"

One day he would be glad she had no interest in him, that Varalie was sure, if he expected to say who his wife might be friends with!

After some soul searching, Varalie wrote a letter to her grandfather; and sent it via a trader going that way. She had no intention of letting her grandfather know that she had firelizards!

"Sir" it ran "It has come to my attention that you have had the effrontery to arrange a marriage for me behind my back to a little boy fostering here at Twosprings Hold. This is not to my liking and I refuse to wed him, and have taken steps to inform his father of that fact. I have made my own plans for my future career that will place no further drains upon your meagrely husbanded resources."

She signed it; and hoped she did the right thing. She made no mention of the Weyr; and if he thought of it, or thought she had entered an apprenticeship – as too she hoped to do – or thought she had become the mistress of a rich man well, that was up to his rather turgid imagination.

Naturally she discussed the matter with Lavanni, Relga and Jerissa, managing to giggle with them over Sebet's declaration of love and silliness, a little hysterically to cover her very real fears.

"We shan't let anyone carry you off" said Jerissa "If need be I'll let the sows out to attack your grandfather!"

After her own experiences, Jerissa reckoned that facing a charge of porcines was far more harrowing than being just a few spans from Thread!

The others nodded solemnly.

Relga signed how big her muscles were; and Varalie embraced her big friend!

Varalie had heard stories of girls who were sequestered and then married, half drugged with fellis and had woken up married women, no longer virgins and often pregnant, all apparently at their own consent. She had NO intention of letting that happen to her – though at least Sebet would not force himself on her and probably had the wit not to mistake fellis drugging for compliance!

On due consideration, Varalie also wrote to H'gey to tell him what was going on and to beg him to have the Weyr rescue her if she was kidnapped. That letter she sent by Ket.

H'gey unravelled the rather involuted periods of a scared young girl; and decided that the threat might well be very real. He took the letter to T'lana.

T'lana read the letter through.

"Hmm" she said "I know Tamalenth hasn't clutched yet; but some people are bringing in candidates in anticipation. I think we should get Varalie and Jerissa in early. It's tough on poor little Lavanni; but it's only bringing it forward a sevenday or two."

"Or three" grinned H'gey. "Thanks, T'lana, I think it'll help the kid's peace of mind. And from what you've told me of Jerissa, the sooner she's under R'gar's discipline, the better!"

T'lana laughed.

"Poor R'gar, what has he done to deserve being Jerissa'd?" she said "All right; I'll have some Green Riders go down to pick the girls up; let's not set them apart by being picked up by a Queen; other girls might make something of it. We'll start them off at the Weyr on equal terms."

H'gey grinned.

"Not that they are; Varalie and Jerissa know several Riders who'll not to them at least."

T'lana shrugged.

"Nothing's perfect" she said "But what colour brings in a candidate is more noticeable; and can lead to more bitching."

"How true" said H'gey, shuddering over his memories of teaching paying Ranking girls in the Harper Hall. "At least Varalie's come on a lot; for she got bullied at the Harper Hall, being the youngest and poorest. Sounds like she can act for herself now."

"It's good to hear that she's found more confidence" said T'lana "That's good not just for her, but for the Weyr. But I am certain this business has been a knock to that new found confidence; she writes like she's half crazed with fear. It's my belief that before she even got to the Harper Hall she was in the habit of being bullied by this horrid grandfather of hers!"

"You know, you could be right!" said H'gey, much struck.

"It's a bad habit of mine – or so R'gar says!" grinned the little weyrwoman!


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

T'arla and J'nara, who could both recognise Varalie, went over to pick up the girls, informing Holder Bitrul formally that they came on Search.

Varalie ran full tilt into T'arla as she came dashing out to find out what two female Riders wanted.

"Has Tamalenth clutched?" she asked excitedly.

"Young one, have you not grown out of doing earthquake impressions?" said T'arla, recovering her wind "There's a need for candidates" she added diplomatically "And as a Harper I'll say no more than that."

"Unofficially, is it 'cos I wrote to H'gey?" asked Varalie.

"Unofficially, yes, brat, and you never heard it from me" said T'arla.

Varalie grinned.

There was no sting in being called 'brat' by T'arla!

After all, in Varalie's eyes, H'gey and the Harperweyr were the closest thing she had to guardians!

Varalie and Jerissa bade a tearful farewell to Lavanni.

"I'll try to visit – here and when you go home!" said Varalie "And at least we can exchange news with out firelizards!"

Lavanni nodded woefully. Her friendship with Varalie and Jerissa had made as much difference to her lonely life as the wheeled chair had!

"Good luck!" she whispered.

"Thanks!" they both murmured; and Varalie hugged her.

"If only you weren't so scared of dragons you could watch us on the Impression grounds" she whispered "I'd rather have you and Relga there for me than my own bloodkin."

Lavanni paled.

"Can – can I say I'll try?" she said.

"If you could, I'd be overjoyed" said Varalie sincerely. How like Lavanni, that she would try to overcome her terror of dragons for a friend whilst refusing to save herself pain as on the proffered trip home from the Gather!

There were two other would-be candidates who came forward and bowed to the Green Riders.

"Weyrwomen, we should like to come on Search" said Biron "Me and this kid" he indicated a small figure who was somehow familiar, and who held a green firelizard carefully.

T'arla looked the smaller child up and down.

"Are you of age?" she asked bluntly.

"Weyrwoman, I am Turned twelve!" said the child.

The voice was the giveaway.

Varalie opened her mouth; and shut it again. Then she stood hard on Jerissa's foot as her friend belatedly recognised Mallitta.

"What's your name kid?" asked T'arla.

"Mall" said Mallitta.

"Hmm" said T'arla "Well, I'm sure we'll be able to find an appropriate way to contract it – if it becomes necessary. Though I think you're too young to Impress, personally; but it's your Right to come. Up you get, young Mall, Varalie get behind he-er, him."

Varalie murmured to Mallitta,

"T'arla knows of course, but if she keeps up the pretence she can claim she doesn't. Don't you dare let her down by letting anything slip!"

"How did you penetrate my cunning disguise?" Mallitta was indignant "I spent hours trimming my hair and rubbing grime into my skin!"

"You think I didn't recognise your Lilla? And your voice for that matter HARPER trained, remember! No shush! Here's T'arla!"

T'arla grinned at Mallitta.

"Well, with features like yours I think anyone would assume you were a byblow of Holder Bitrul" she said, hinting hard.

"Yes, he's my father" said Mallitta "But fortunately he doesn't have a lot to do with me. I say, I've never been on a dragon before, isn't it wonderful?"

T'arla laughed.

"If you feel that way kid, you belong in a weyr whoever you are" she said. "Hold tight!"

And they were airborne….then the cold, impossible cold of _Between_; and out into the still cold but less numbing air, for the altitude of High Reaches made it several degrees colder than the warm river plain!

Down below was the dark mass of the Seven Spindles.

"Oh, it's beautiful!" cried Varalie "Our new home, Malli – uh, Mall! Isn't it splendid?"

"Glad you think so" said T'arla gruffly. "We love it. Though if you DO Impress, I guarantee you'll be sick of whatever angle you pick for your co-ordinates to return _Between_ to!"

"I guess that all lessons have some boredom built in" said Varalie "But some are more worth the tedium than others. I guess we'll stand it well enough – if only to get the chance to read and survive that lesson!"

"Huh. You'll do, our kid" said T'arla.

The girls and their extra passengers were met by Pilgra, whom none of them knew. She introduced herself.

"My name is Pilgra; I'm senior weyrwoman here and I should not normally greet candidates. Only I hear that one of you has a knack of falling into trouble."

"That'll be me" said Jerissa, managing to sound suitably subdued.

Pilgra surveyed her.

"I am aware that some scrapes can just happen to people" she said "But we have a rather heedless and immature girl, much younger than her thirteen turns; and I really don't want you to involve her in any trouble. She's bad enough on her own."

"Oh shells not two girls with Jerissaness!" groaned Varalie.

"Quite" said Pilgra.

Jerissa flushed.

"I NEVER involve younger kids in my scrapes!" she said "Mallitta can tell you – er, she could if she were here – that I've often forbidden her to come with me if I ran out of the Hold; 'cos I know my own capabilities but I'd not risk her!"

Pilgra nodded, ignoring Jerissa's slip with but a fractional twitch of the eyebrows.

"You're not then entirely heedless; just frustrated and cooped up with a strong streak of being accident prone?"

Jerissa grinned ruefully.

"I'd say that summed me up pretty well, Weyrwoman."

"Well! We don't mind you going walkabout, providing it doesn't mean you shirk your set duties; and we expect you to take the responsibility to study the Threadfall charts and check the zones. You're old enough to do that; and if you're not, any consequence is your own fault."

Jerissa blinked in amazement! She had become used to Mallene treating her as a child!

"You – you mean we actually have autonomy for our own actions?" she asked.

"That's exactly what I mean" said Pilgra. "In the Weyr the age of choice is set by the lowest age at which a young person might expect to fight Thread; their fourteenth birthday. Over fourteen you are considered an adult, though we make some allowance for incomers who may have been babied."

"I've never been babied before, Weyrwoman. It's what made it so irksome in Twosprings. I kept house for my father and travelled with him. I hate Thread, but the sight of it doesn't send me witless; though being a span from it wasn't nice when I was stupid enough to get caught out in Fall. I can also hunt wild game and live off the land."

Pilgra nodded sympathetically.

"Yes, I can see why being overly mothered by a conventional Holderwoman would drive you half _Between_. You'll be treated like an adult here and expected to live up to it. Though T'lana and R'gar will treat all the candidates alike; and give you orders. We assume a start of total ignorance, but they are never patronising, even to the smallest. Though I have to say both Weyrlingmaster and Weyrlingmistress have a good line in sarcasm if they feel someone isn't pulling their weight!"

"We can hustle" said Jerissa.

"Absolutely" said Varalie "Though I guess we're nowhere near as fit as we'll need to be"

Pilgra nodded.

"That's what the candidates' exercises are for" she said "To bring you up to a minimum fitness required for the hard work of being dragonriders."

"Shards" put in Biron "That must come as a shock to those who think it's an easy option to ride around on dragons! I guess it makes sense, 'cos firelizards are hard enough for the first sevenday, and dragons have a heap more tummy and yards more skin to oil too!"

Pilgra hid a smile as she answered,

"Yes, you're quite right lad. As you all have firelizards you come with a little more knowledge by experience than those who do not. You WILL find some who make jealous remarks about small people with firelizards or those of you with more than one" she eyed the girls.

"I say, weyrwoman, did you know that green firelizards can lay other colours than green?" burst out Jerissa.

"No I didn't. Is Varalie's blue from a green clutch?"

Varalie nodded.

"There was a brown too, but we didn't Impress him, he had his own ideas" she said regretfully. "Minim and Crotchet were eager enough though."

"Crotchet a play on words for the disposition of greens?" laughed Pilgra.

"Well, she is snippy if not downright crotchety" laughed Varalie "And it would have been impolitic to call her 'Mallene'."

"Oh I wish I'd thought of that!" said Jerissa impulsively.

"Glad you didn't – she's still my mother and I love her" said Biron.

Jerissa had the grace to blush, and turned to fuss Pell and her new greens, Fira and Lizza.

"Well" said Pilgra "That greens produce other colours is something to know; I suspect it depends on the colour of the male who mates with them. Perhaps another time you can make a study of it in the wild, Jerissa. Green clutches in any other situation are to be discouraged! Now, Varalie, you're quite musical I hear, do your lizards sing?"

Varalie nodded.

"Good" went on Pilgra "T'rin is putting on a show for Master Shonagar, the Voice Master of the Harper Hall. Though of course, you know that, silly of me! Master Shonagar is visiting us for a sevenday because one of our newest Riders has a Voice that T'rin describes in an awestruck voice such that you can hear him give it a capital 'V' in the pronunciation. T'rin is involving the Harperweyr dragons and as many firelizards as can be provided to take some musical direction."

"I'm not musical but mine sing with Varalie's" said Jerissa "She's been teaching them all to sing to order."

"Good; I'll tell T'rin" said Pilgra. "Now, youngling" – this to Mallitta – "I think it would be a good idea if you have a cubby hole to yourself, being so small as you are, not with the main boys as such….T'arla will show you where."

T'arla nodded.

"I posed as a boy, you see, because I wasn't certain how I'd be treated as a girl; there's a nice little alcove off the main boys' dormitory where you can have a bit of privacy, and it's just a step from the necessary and the bathing room" she said "It's one of the new excavations and there's a hard piece of rock that was left in that forms a kind of half wall. You can sleep a couple in there, and we usually fill it last."

Mallitta grinned.

"Sounds ideal, weyrwoman" she said.

"All right, young Mall, Biron, come along; and if we get full, I expect you won't mind Biron moving into your cubby hole with you as you know him" said T'arla with her tongue firmly in her cheek!

Pilgra was muttering something about history repeating itself – again; and turned to the two older girls.

"Your quarters are near the boys but separated; and you have your own necessary and bathing room; and most of that's all new too, since we found it necessary to have a larger dormitory for female candidates. The hot pool is only small, it never was designed for more than half a dozen candidates for a Queen egg, but there's tubs and you can draw off water from it. J'nara will show you where to go."

"Thank you, weyrwoman" said Varalie politely "Thank you weyrwoman" this to J'nara.

"Oh, call me J'nara please" said the Green Rider "You're to apprentice here I hear, even if you don't Impress, so you're almost a resident already."

"What can I do if I don't Impress?" asked Jerissa.

J'nara considered.

"You'll just have to find where you fit in, my dear" she said. "I'm sure you'll find a niche; maybe if you're good at climbing and that, you might help with the mountain rescue team. Do you abseil?"

Jerissa had brightened; but shook her head, puzzled.

"What's that – abseil?"

J'nara laughed; laughter never seemed far from the bubbly Green Rider.

"So far as I can gather it involves hurling yourself backwards off a cliff attached to one rope and sliding down another whilst bouncing periodically off the walls" she said "I've never had any urge to try it! You'll need to see T'lai and S'hana if you want to learn; they're designated to start off beginners."

"Oh YES!" said Jerissa, her face lightling up.

It should at least help to keep her out of mischief for a while, reflected Varalie.

oOoOo

Carinn was an excitable child who was very pleased to see two more girls.

"You can't believe how LONELY it is sometimes being the only female candidate left over!" she said "The only other one who didn't Impress last time went home thoroughly relieved in the hopes – of all things! That her father would arrange her a suitable marriage!"

"She must have wherries loose in her upper paddock!" said Jerissa in disgust.

"Odd girl" contributed Varalie.

"Yes, I can't understand it!" said Carinn. "So I was left on my lonesome. I mean, K'iara and the others who did Impress have been really kind, letting me help with their dragonets; but now they're much bigger there's less I can do to really help, and a lot of what they're starting to do is to walk formations as practice for when they're flying and there's nothing I can do to join in with that" she finished sadly.

"I guess there's nothing to stop you – and us – watching and learning the formations to help us if we Impress" said Varalie.

Carinn pulled a face.

"It's rather tedious."

"It'll be more tedious to be Threadscored for not getting a move right I guess" said Varalie. "Just think how pleased R'gar would be if his next bunch had a good idea of what they were doing from day one!"

Carinn brightened.

"It'd be nice to please him for once; he'd awfully grouchy and hard to please."

"So'd you be if making weyrlings get it right meant saving their lives" said Varalie, with sudden insight. "Reckon we can do a good job of learning, and maybe we can use some of the patterns to walk sweep too."

Carinn brightened still further.

"That might be fun" she admitted "And that would make it less scary too."

"We'll get Mall to join us" said Varalie craftily "As he's only a little boy and has less chance if Impressing this time so it'll keep him out of mischief."

"Oh yes, let's!" agreed Carinn. "Little boys are no real problem."

Meantime Biron and Mallitta in the boys' dormitory soon came into contact with the two disappointed candidates who had stayed on, others having either had their three allotted chances or who had lives they wanted to return to.

Linter grinned cheerfully; he was between brother and sister in age.

"Good, much better company than Dwissom I hope!" he said.

"Dwissom?" Biron asked.

"Our resident would-be bully. He's a couple of turns older and several spans bigger than me, so I get myself duties drudging for the Harpers during the meanwhilst" said Linter "And I guess I'd be happy to stay with them if I don't Impress; Allessa's a kind headwoman and the work's not that arduous. Mostly sweeping up woodshavings from the instrument crafting; and the apprentices help with that too, 'cept the ones with small dragonets. And helping with laundry and such, but it's easy enough once you know how."

"I guess getting a job doesn't do any harm at all" said Biron. "They're less likely to kick us out if we fail to Impress if we can make ourselves useful. What about it, Mall?"

Mallitta had dressed like a drudge; but had little idea how to do drudgework!

"They've got stables, haven't they?" she said "I guess I could do a good job there"

Biron nodded.

"And I learned a bit of husbandry from helping my brother at the Hold" he said.

A sneering voice spoke from the door.

"You 'know a bit of husbandry'? you're a rank amateur – I'm Beastcraft trained and I reckon you know enough to set about it fork first!"

"Reckon you're full of what comes out of a tail fork" said Biron amicably "The Beastcrafter that trained my brother and me seemed happy with out work; and I guess a journeyman knows more than a scrubby apprentice who hadn't managed to get even a senior tassel by your age – reckon you couldn't make the grade so you ran away to the weyr."

There was going to be a fight; and Biron reckoned it might as well be sooner as later at the time of his choosing.

Dwissom fought using his weight and strength for he was stocky without being overly fat. Biron was fit and stronger than he looked, for he was proud of being able to put in a man's work in the fields when he was released from lessons to do so. And he had fought many a labourer's son who thought a son of the Hold would be effete.

Mallitta watched in terror as this terrible boy Dwissom laid into her brother; she had never seen a fight between boys before, having been so sheltered by her mother! She had an idea.

Mallitta retreated to the bathing room and filled a bucket with water that she threw over both the boys!

Biron came up laughing; but Dwissom was spluttering with rage!

"How DARE you, you – runty babe!" he roared, advancing on her.

Mallitta stared, open mouthed.

No boy had ever dared attack her before; she was used to being the spoiled baby daughter. Indeed, she was not sure what was going on, even, though it was frightening! Boys did not fight girls – and she had not thought about all the implications of her disguise!

Biron flung himself on Dwissom.

There was a

"WHAT is going on here?"

A large irritated man with an eyepatch and ugly scars stood in the doorway, hands on hips.

"It's quite simple, R'gar" said Linter "Dwissom tried to push the bigger new boy – Biron, I think his name is – about; and the kid threw water over them to stop them, 'cos he seems like he's led a sheltered life and never seen a fight; guess he's cotbred. Anyway, Dwissom was going to do the kid over and I guess Biron was planning on stopping him when he leapt on him. Me, I was going to trip the big bully up when he got closer and kick him in the head as there's nothing in there to damage."

"Hmph" said R'gar "Dwissom, I've spoken to you before. Biron, there are other ways of solving disputes than fighting in all but a handful of cases; the both of you can go and bag firestone until lunchtime for fighting. Dwissom , after lunch you will spend your time writing out on one of H'llon's leaves for me why you think it is all right for a big lad like you to attack a smaller one like this kid, er, Mall. Linter, Biron, I appreciate your trying to protect Mall. As for you, laddie, a bucket of water is one way to separate fighting canines – but in a sleeping room? You and Linter can mop up the water and hang out to dry all the furs and linen you've soaked."

"Yes sir, Weyrlingmaster" said Linter smartly. "We got off fairly lightly there" he added sotto voce to Mallitta "C'mon kid, the sooner we start the sooner we finish; and I'll show you how to deal with wet furs too, there's an art to it!"

Mallitta nodded.

It was a lot different to anything she had ever known – or expected! Not that she knew quite what she expected. And it made her appreciate her cubby hole out of sight of the boys even more!


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

T'rin was pleased to have some extra singing firelizards.

"The dragons can drown them out if we're not careful" he said. "They don't mean to but they do rumble rather."

"I didn't know dragons sang too" said Varalie.

"No, nor did I until Renpeth got irritated with my dimglow apprentices and had to show them how to do it" grinned T'rin. "It was a passage of notes falling in half notes in places and they COULD not get it right! I can hold a tune, but my voice is no great shakes; certainly not for demonstrating. I stick to instrument work; K'bit's voice is a glorious instrument in itself, I hope he doesn't break for ages!"

"I look forward to hearing it" said Varalie sincerely. "How's H'gey and Brieth?"

T'rin grinned.

"Busy. He's up on crutches and thinking of discarding one of them. He and K'iara weyr together now."

"Ah, that's nice" said Varalie "It was plain he was gone on her; and I was pretty certain she was just as gone on him!"

T'rin chuckled.

"It's always good when such feelings are mutual" he said. "I hear you're thinking of becoming H'llon's apprentice?"

Varalie nodded.

"I make competent enough instruments to get them stamped after relatively little instruction when the boys slipped them in with their own; and I really enjoyed doing it."

T'rin nodded.

"There's something very satisfying about making something from scratch" he said "And making something as good as you can make it that YOU'd enjoy using. And it's good to have a craft to fall back on. If you hadn't found the niche I'd have had you in with the Harpers; though I couldn't have promised you more than mediocrity."

Varalie nodded

"My thanks for that" she said "And if I hadn't so enjoyed working with the wood, I'd have been glad to take you up; as I still might if H'llon doesn't think I make the grade! After all, half the weyr are Harpers, aren't they?" she added cheekily.

T'rin tweaked her ear.

"Cheeky brat" he said lazily. "Apparently it's rare for Harpers to Impress; there's only one recorded in recent times. I suppose it's something to do with genius having a streak of selfishness that does not allow room for dragons."

"IS it? Does that mean that you're not considered proper Harpers? I mean, surely those who made Journeyman before Impressing…"

T'rin gave her a quick look and decided that the question was genuine and merely lacking in tact rather than snide.

"No, not at all…we have to pass the same stringent tests as any Harper. It's just that we made the great discovery that dragons can be a part of our music, for they love it too! And Harpers just, I guess, Impress the most musical dragons; 'cos some dragons are more musical than others, same as humans. Breeneth can't hold a tune in a sack, for example. Nor can T'chal his Rider for that matter; though he tries hard enough when he's drunk, shell knows and then he sounds like H'llon's sawpit."

Varalie laughed. She had heard voices like that.

"I'm glad other Harpers don't consider you second rate…I know I'm not properly trained but I do like your tunes a very great deal; as much as I like Menolly's, though in a different way. Hers are fun to sing but yours are better to play or listen to. And I guess nobody could cast aspersions at H'gey's ability; and he's such a good teacher to explain clearly all the confusing things."

"He is, isn't he?" said T'rin proudly, flushing too at her compliments about his own tunes. "You'll hear Lyseder's tunes too, and K'bit's and Kullana's too; they're our best music writers in the apprentices. They'll like to know if a talented amateur finds them hard or easy to play and how much YOU enjoy them – if you don't mind helping out with a critique. You're almost Harper Hall so I don't fee constrained about asking you; only Harpers DO have set ideas – it's unavoidable – and don't always appreciate things in the same way as laymen do."

"I'd be delighted" said Varalie, sincerely. "Thank you for thinking of me as almost Harper Hall; I kind of think of you and H'gey and T'arla as the nearest thing I have to family you know."

"Heh, always glad to adopt decent sisters" grinned T'rin.

"I need to ask you though" said Varalie "Should I, do you think, go and see H'llon right away now you've checked out my pets or stay here while you're rehearsing them? They'll stay put if I tell them to."

"Stay; H'llon knows you're with me" said T'rin. "I claimed you – or rather, your firelizards – first. His fair are here too, somewhere: he has four and they sing too. H'llon sings at work and he has a fair and pleasant voice for it being untrained. We'll work for two hours, with breaks; then rest an hour with a light meal, and eat properly after the performance."

It was fun working with Harpers, dragons and firelizards all together; and as she had received some training, Varalie was given a tambourine and a sheet of music to pick up where she was to use it as part of the work T'rin had written especially for K'bit's voice. It was an expansion of his song 'flying' that she had studied with H'gey in the Harper Hall; and was in its expanded form a celebration of dragonkind and their task to fly and fight Thread. T'rin had been given permission by T'bor to use the Threadfall klaxon as part of his work, its eerie note to be taken up and woven around by the firelizards. Varalie hoped that Master Shonagar would appreciate it; she thought it was wonderful!

H'llon was busy working on a strange looking device with a roll that turned. He waved to her cheerily as she went over to look.

"It records sounds" he said in answer to the yet unspoken question. "C'nar – he's Smithcraft trained though he's switched to the Harperweyr – helped me build it. The noise is magnified by going in the funnel, like objects are magnified by looking at them through a curved glass; it's something to do with curvature though I don't fully understand it yet. It's the same as trumpets having flared horns for sound to come out of. The noise then vibrates a needle – you know, like strings of a fiddle or gitar vibrate – and that makes scratches on this roll coated with berry wax. By turning the handle the scratches are recorded over time; and by turning the handle again after placing the needle in the groove, the sound comes back out just as it went in!"

"How marvellous!" Varalie was awestruck.

H'llon grinned.

"It's not an original idea I'm afraid; we have a manual of the ancients that mentions the device and I just had to recreate it! Fortunately it appeared to have been a new invention at the time and was described in reasonable detail so I was able to glean a lot of information and make more sense of it than those inventions so well known that detailed descriptions were not thought necessary for the familiarity in which they were held" he sounded quite wistful!

"That was a stroke of luck" said Varalie "Doesn't it wear out rather though?"

H'llon shrugged.

"Yes, that's the snag. I'm looking into either using a diamond needle to cut into brass, that might play back with a softer needle say; or maybe use the wax over a fine brass sheet and then etch it immediately before attempting to play it back. But this is all we have for now; I'm going to put a waxed brass sheet on for the performance itself and gamble that etching will work, and just experiment with other needles than the thorns I'm using for now."

"It's marvellous" said Varalie again. "We live in such exciting times!"

H'llon grinned boyishly.

"Yes, don't we?" he agreed!

oOoOo

Master Shonagar was not the only visiting Harper; he came on L'gal's Solpeth with Master Domick, attended by a sexually ambiguous apprentice - who was promptly hugged by T'arla and called 'cousin' - and by the Masterharper himself!

T'rin greeted the Masters courteously, almost falling over his words like a guilty apprentice!

"I'd not miss your first big work for anything, T'rin" said Domick "Even if it is designed to showcase a voice. I wrote around young Piemur's voice often enough, after all. And Petiron was often enough inspired by a voice; so much of his stuff is not performed for the lack of a female voice of the calibre of Merelan" he sighed, glancing at Robinton.

"My mother had an exceptional voice" said the Masterharper softly. His own was beautiful too of course, thought Varalie, thrilling to hear him speak as always.

"And I just wanted to see how the Harperweyr was progressing – as well as hearing your first large piece" he said "It will be performed here, I understand, as it can never be performed in the Harper Hall!"

Varalie was transfixed by the music; she just forgot everything else. It was like riding a dragon – and the chilling note of the klaxon echoed in high firelizard voices almost like keening sent a chill down her spine. There were tears in her eyes as K'bit's high, clear voice took up the note and soared in a song of terror yet determination and exhilaration as a weyrling's first taste of fighting Thread. T'rin had in fact taken him up on Renpeth with him the Fall before to help him add the appropriate emotion; he had not bothered to ask T'bor's permission. It might have been denied and thus not helped to add to the boy's performance. Sometimes T'rin could be quite ruthless about his pursuit for perfection like that!

As the boy's voice ended on a long, unresolved note, the dragons came in again, in a tumbling fugue echoing the flying of formation, L'gal's excellent warm baritone as the commentary of a wingleader – which in point of fact the Bronze Rider harper was – experienced but no less fond of Thread, directing and leading.

There wasn't a dry eye in the Hatching Cavern where the performance had taken place, as Tamalenth was not ready to clutch yet; and the applause echoed thunderously!

"Bravo!" cried Domick: a cry echoed by the other Masters.

Robinton stood.

"I think we can all say that none of us have ever experienced anything like this" he said. "T'rin's music improves all the time. Though there are still minor flaws in his writing – of which I am certain he is aware – few will encounter such a magnificent piece save from the pen of Domick. The Firelizards and dragons enhance the excellence of the piece, not mask any flaws, and I freely admit I was wrong to fear that such might turn out to be the case; T'rin, I apologise! These magnificent voices only go to make this finely crafted piece more memorable. And no offence to K'bit either; his voice is equal to singing with dragons as few ever are. And L'gal has risen to the occasion to surpass himself. Such a piece justifies, if any ever thought it required justifying, the Harperweyr."

The Masterharper was applauded by the whole Weyr!

"K'bit, I regret in some ways your Impression" said Shonagar "Though I am sure you do not for my regret is selfish in that I shall not have you as a pupil in the Harper Hall, and nor am I likely to before your voice breaks. L'gal is privileged to have the chance to train you; and if he makes a mess of it, Bronze Rider or no, I'll be after him with Master Olodkey's drumsticks!" he shook a joking finger at L'gal and there was general laughter.

"I will do my best" said L'gal "And I thank you from the bottom of my heart for abandoning your other pupils for a sevenday or two to give K'bit the more advanced exercises that he needs; and I thank Master Robinton for letting you come too."

"I'd have and a task stopping him now he's heard the boy sing" said Robinton. "Nothing short of shackles would have held him back! And now, I believe, the Weyr has provided a feast for this occasion and will not, I hope, stint on the Benden Red!"

There was general merriment for the Masterharper's weakness for red Benden wine was well known!

And K'bit looked like he had just Impressed all over again!

It might have been almost anticlimactic after such a performance had not the newcomers been so very new to the Weyr that they found so many new things to try and do!

Varalie reported to H'llon to try out as his apprentice. The legless boy, Radall, grinned at her; he was only delayed from going to the Woodcrafter Hall for formal training on grounds of his age! He certainly hoped and expected to become a journeyman quickly when he did get there, for he was very skilled already. The oldest was Ipominea, as like to her sisters I'linne and M'iandra as peas in a pod with her lank black hair and long face, heavy eyebrows and short upper lip over large teeth. She smiled gravely, and then without changing expression gave Varalie a sudden, solemn wink!

Varalie grinned at her.

Serelis too was a solemn child, not yet Turned twelve. If she had not been told, Varalie would never have guessed that the little girl was missing a foot, from an accident to her in her father's saw mill, and that she now sported a wooden foot carved by H'llon! Since she had come to the Weyr with the other handicapped children he had carved her a new one every turn as she grew, allowing as much movement as he could manage for her through a one-way joint across the toes to allow her to rise onto her toes; and with a ball set into the ankle to add to her movement, that friction and weight held still when she wanted it locked into a particular position. Her earlier feet had been made rigid until she got used to them, but now she could move almost as gracefully as any able bodied child and more so than many for having practised! Varalie thought it wonderfully touching that Serelis should wish to become a woodcrafter after all her bad early experience; but seeing the child's obvious talent with wood in the piece she was chip carving made her choice obvious.

Diccon too seemed a serious child at first glance; until he grinned. His eyes had a mischievous twinkle that summed her up; and Varalie had little doubt that she would soon be the butt of a number of practical jokes. She fully intended to laugh them off rather than to rise; after all what else might one expect from a quite little boy – from whom practical jokes were normal behaviour as they were not from someone of Jerissa's age!

H'llon put Varalie through several stringent tests. She knew nothing about tool care; harper apprentices were not required to care for the tools they used, specialists generally were sent on a course to the Woodcrafter Hall; H'gey had been taking lessons from H'llon. H'llon nodded over this deficiency and told her not to worry, that he would teach her this important skill. Most basic techniques she already knew at least in passing; she found the concept of a dovetail joint fascinating and elegant. Dyes, varnishes and finishes too interested her – probably more than they interested H'llon – though she knew she would have to work hard to apply such complex finishes as veneers and marquetry, for she found it difficult when H'llon first demonstrated the techniques.

Turning however, she enjoyed! There was something very soothing about treadling and watching a piece shape beneath her chisel.

H'llon nodded, pleased.

The girl did not have the aptitude for lathe that Elissa did; but then, Elissa was exceptional in her chosen field of speciality expertise. Radall was more than acceptable, Ipominea was as able as Varalie, Diccon looked to have an aptitude perhaps greater than Radall and Serelis was certainly good enough to pass Master Gerney's strict eye when the child went up to the Woodcrafter Hall. H'llon himself enjoyed lathework and liked to see his apprentices succeed in it; it was a rare skill for woodcrafters, especially as there were few enough treadle lathes. The Woodcrafter Hall itself had a dozen; H'llon had built his own and now had a second not treadle lathe but one powered by water power via the waterwheel. This was his own personal lathe and the apprentices were not permitted to use it; and H'llon had discovered for himself that he was learning still with that, for the greater speeds possible made much finer work possible. Some Journeymen who had trained at Lemos built their own pole lathe, the motive power provided by a springy sapling bowing up and down to a rough treadle, turning the shaft first this way then that by a string wrapped around it. But even these simple lathes were not common; especially as Gerney was very strict and inclined to ban any apprentice who did not achieve his high safety standard or reach what he considered a suitable level of competence in a reasonable time. H'llon reflected that as Varalie was interested in machines she and Ipominea – who was interested in everything – might well help him make another treadle lathe, perhaps with more metal parts if C'nar would help with the casting!

"Excellent" said H'llon "You've your candidate duties in the morning, exercises and such; report to me after the noon meal."

"Thank you sir!" said Varalie, elated.

She might never be as talented as some; but she enjoyed working in wood and she could do something useful! And an adequate but not excessively talented woodcrafter would have a better likelihood of having a livelihood than a similarly endowed Harper.

Jerissa, meanwhile, was learning to abseil down from the drum heights.

There were those who might have thought it an ambitious start for a beginner; but T'lai and S'hana believed in the expedient of starting as they meant to go on!

It was scary at first, leaning out backwards from the ledge, with the long, long drop beneath; but them, leaping out into space, trusting T'lai's strong grip at the top, aided by a block through which the rope passed to give her greater control, and it was like flying! S'hana had explained how to control the rate of descent by paying out the rope that attached to the harness between her legs as she went; and after lowering herself gently for a length or so, soon she was bouncing down the rock, whooping with exhilaration.

T'lai and S'hana exchanged looks.

"She'll do" said S'hana.

"Almost could be seabred" grinned T'lai. They slapped their hands together over their heads.

Jerissa loved it; and hearing stories of other rescuers, like the tale of how H'llon had abseiled down to rescue I'linne when first she came to the Weyr; and learning to admire H'llon more when she found out that heights – except on a dragon – utterly terrified him! She also heard how the most skilled could abseil from dragonback to an injured person where dragons could not readily land.

"V'gion flies a lot of missions" said S'hana "He understands abseiling himself and Faioth is good at holding station by hovering on thermals and making small adjustments. And Faioth being Bronze can hoist stretchers and runnerbeasts too to a more accessible place. We have stretchers that the rescuer can ride on, with foot plates, to give the dragon who's lifting direction."

"It sounds very efficient" said Jerissa.

"'Course it's efficient" said S'hana "The whole system was designed by H'llon, L'gani and V'gion – they improved no end on the old, rather haphazard systems of just going out to do the rather ineffectual best of their forerunners; and L'gani and V'gion are seabred, which goes to show!"

Jerissa opened her mouth; and shut it again.

Contradicting the seabred about their inherent superiority was like trying to tell a Ruathan Runnertrader that Ruathan beasts were not always necessarily the best!


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

The newcomers also joined the logicators; and learned a lot. T'thar had also joined the logicators when he settled into High Reaches and Varalie was glad to renew the acquaintance with the young Oldtimer. One of the things that had become a feature of logicator meetings was H'llon reading out loud from his casebook of the ancient logicator Sherlock Holmes, translating as he went into terms easier for those unaccustomed to the odd style and lifestyle to understand.

"Was he a Harper, sir?" asked Varalie. "Much is made of him playing the fiddle."

H'llon shook his head.

"Their whole social structure was different on this strange world they came from" he said "But the stories illustrate that human nature does not change, it is merely modified by circumstances."

Varalie grinned.

"So much to learn!" she said "We're going to be so happy here!"

The sour note that was introduced into this almost idyllic existence – idyllic in the eyes of two girls not afraid of hard work – was caused by the arrival of Mardith, bringing, as passengers behind J'frey, Holder Bitrul and Mallene. The Holder was in a fine rage and his wife was plainly worried. They demanded to see the Weyrleader.

T'bor was nursing a hangover from too late night a discussion – with exemplars – of the merits of different wines with T'rin. The Weyrleader was reflecting that Harpers were obviously born with hard heads as well as musical talent; for T'rin was running a class in drumming with no apparent ill effects; and T'bor was just glad that he was no closer than three closed doors and a quarter of the Bowl away from the drumming.

Dealing with an irritable – no, bad tempered, - Holder and his wife over their son's decision to come to the Weyr and the disappearance of their daughter was more than T'bor wanted to deal with.

He sent for T'arla who had brought the Twosprings candidates in.

She arrived promptly, looking demure, her unruly black curls held back neatly with a ribbon that matched her attractive blue gown – borrowed hurriedly for the occasion from K'iara, it has to be said!

T'bor surveyed her suspiciously and suppressed a groan. There really WAS something amiss.

"T'arla, did you bring in anyone else from Twosprings as well as Varalie and Jerissa?"

T'arla nodded.

"Two boys" she said promptly.

"Two boys?" Bitrul rounded on her.

"Yes Holder. Your younger son, Biron I believe he gave his name as looking for something better than a third son's portion in a small Hold; and some drudge lad. He was of age; I asked. And as such it is their Right."

"Indeed?" Bitrul scowled "Sure it was a boy?"

T'arla blinked in well simulated surprise.

"Why the crackdust should it not be?" she asked "We take girls, there'd be no need to dissemble. Though there's few enough willing to go on Search, least of all the very little ones, not unless they're fleeing some intolerable situation, you know."

Bitrul went purple.

"I want to speak to Biron!" he demanded.

"Certainly, Holder, if you wish and he wishes it too" said T'arla. "I'll take you to where he's exercising; but I advise you strongly to wait until he's finished: R'gar don't like being interrupted at training, and he has a very short fuse. He's killed a man in a duel for interfering with his weyrlings, you know; he's very skilled with a knife."

It stretched the truth over R'gar's two duels with Larnel; but the essential element of truth rang in the harper girl's voice!

Biron came over to his parents sporting his new apprentice Farmercraft knots; for High Reaches Weyr had applied to Masterfarmer Andemon for a progressive – and they emphasised the word – senior Journeyman to make the most of the meagre High Reaches resources to help support the childhold. Journeyman Teleman was young, enthusiastic and excited by the challenge, and was willing to work with such radical people as H'llon to experiment with using gas tapped from rotting manure and human waste for heating purposes. The idea of building heated greenhouses had been his and enthusiastically endorsed by H'llon. Teleman had been thrilled when Biron, considering the rival merits of beastcrafting and farmercraft decided that his talents lay more in the soil and requested apprenticeship – Teleman's first formal apprentice since his appointment here! Teleman was having to learn some Beastcraft himself to make the best use of the land and was glad of the lad's experience of husbandry, albeit limited. Biron's current project was rotting samples of various types of dung to experiment over which gave the best results with High Reaches soils and to crops planted at this altitude; and he found it exciting. So Biron flushed angrily when his father pointed scornfully at his knots and said,

"What's this nonsense?" .

"It's not nonsense, father" he said, forcing himself to speak calmly, trying to imagine how Bimall would act, for Biron idolised his eldest brother. "Candidates are encouraged to learn a craft if they have none; in case they don't Impress but wish to remain at the Weyr; or in case they become dragonless one day. Besides, craftsmen can add to the Weyr and help it to be more self sufficient. That ought to please you, for one day we might not even need to ask tithe from you Holderfolk I wager!"

"Huh" said his father "Demeaning yourself! What's this nonsense of coming to the Weyr about? Your letter was almost illegible!"

"Why sir, it's quite simple" said Biron. "I'm a third son, second spare; and with few prospects. And as Var and Jer were standing, it gave me the idea that it would be a good way for a third son to prosper. It is my Right, too, you know!"

"What about your sister?" broke in Mallene to ask piteously.

Biron feigned surprise; it was not as though he was unprepared to answer such questions!

"Well if Rulene wants to come, it's her Right too, I guess; I wouldn't have thought she'd have wanted to."

"Your LITTLE sister! Mallitta!" his mother almost shrieked.

"Well, ma'am, I'm not sure they'd be happy to have her for a turn or two yet, though I suppose she's entitled – she is over twelve, isn't she?" said Biron obtusely.

"Biron, don't act the fool" ground out his father "You brought her here dressed as a boy, didn't you?"

"Sir, I never brought anyone!" said Biron, blessing fortune that Mallitta had not involved him in her schemes – even if only because she did not know his own intent to go to the Weyr – and that he had only recognised her as they were heading for the dragons.

"Oh? Who was the child who came with you then?" Bitrul's voice dripped scorn.

Biron shrugged.

"Some byblow of one of the family I guess" he said "I've never met all the drudges in the Hold or its farm. I can't be expected to know everyone. Why, have you mislaid Mallitta? That seems a little careless." He sounded indignant on several different levels.

"I'll see this so-called drudge and if indeed it is Mallitta…."

"Holder" interrupted T'arla "If by some remote chance this child is your daughter masquerading as a boy – and how she might manage that in a boys' dormitory seems most strange to me – she is still technically of age to stand for a Green dragon. We prefer girls to be older but there is nothing in the rules to stop her claiming her Right is she so desires."

"I'll have my belt to her backside and beat this nonsense out of her!" yelped Biron.

"No, actually you won't" said T'arla "If she chooses the protection of the Weyr, the Weyr will protect. If she chooses our fosterage over yours we nurture and protect our own; we will NOT permit our charges to be bullied by non weyrfolk."

"Fine words, weyrwhore!" sneered Bitrul.

T'arla narrowed her eyes; and struck him deliberately across the mouth. Hard.

"Keep a civil tongue in your head towards a weyrwoman, Meronspawn" she said coldly. "Mend you manners and I will not then duel you."

"I'd not meet a woman of no Rank!"

"My Rank is that I fight Thread to save your quivering and cowardly arse that dares not even walk sweep" said T'arla "But if it comes to that, perhaps you'd try to decry the Rank of my weyrmate – a Mastercraftsman and a Bronze Rider; who outranks you so many times over little man! If your daughter has run away from so nasty a bully I for one do not blame her; and if she is in the Weyr she will be duly cared for. That, Mallene, I assure you" she turned to the Holder's distraught wife.

"Oh please! Is she here?" asked Mallene.

T'arla shrugged.

"There was a kid calling himself Mall. All children look alike to me; providing they're not doing something that means they get in my way I generally ignore them" she said.

"Biron? Was it her?" appealed Mallene.

"I didn't peer that close under the grime" said Biron.

"I demand….." Bitrul started.

"I suggest you word any demands to the Weyrleader" said T'arla sweetly "You an report me as well for chastising you; and see what reaction you get. T'bor doesn't like the filthy maunderings of ill bred commons."

Bitrul glowered; but strode off.

"Mother, father must not know!" said Biron urgently "He was so unkind to her over Lilla – her firelizard – and threatened to wring her neck! She was scared not to come; his opposition to firelizards and dragons has driven us TO the weyr, not kept us away from it!"

Mallene buried her face in her hands.

"His temper is so cruel!" she said.

"Exactly!" said Biron. "We couldn't bear it; either of us. We decided independently to come; Malli's a sensitive kiddie. She'll find her feet here and get on famously; Varalie's been looking out for her since she sussed out her disguise. And there's several weyrbred kids about her own age or a bit younger and she's settled down to being friends with them – including a Queenrider's daughter!"

Thus Biron perceived Sagarra, fosterling of Queenrider T'lana.

Indeed, Mallitta was at the central hub of the Weyr's leading lights of mischief. As soon as Sagarra had discovered that she was a girl dressed as a boy to escape a man of Meron's cruel stamp, just as her beloved foster mother had done, the little girl had taken Mallitta, just a turn older in age and several turns younger in experience, under her wing. As Sagarra's foster sister Serelis also worked with Varalie – whom Mallitta admired – this went down perfectly well.

Sagarra had also done a better job than Mallitta herself of cropping the child's black locks and firmly pierced her ears to take loops after the fashion of the wandering tinkers of Lemos; and darkened her skin with walnut juice to give an appropriate skin tone. Mall was now unrecognisable as Mallitta; especially with a wire brace provided by Calla to reshape her prominent teeth, something offered to I'linne and Ipominea though they had decided not to bother.

T'bor was most unhappy to be shouted at; and when he understood the gist of the complaint he shouted back, headache or no headache, from the vantage of a number of inches height over the pompous little Holder.

"If you will be intolerably rude to one of my weyrwomen, you may most certainly expect her to strike you! Are you one of these cowards who thinks he can bully and browbeat a woman and call her names and expect no retribution? Are you?"

Bitrul could say nothing to that; for of course he was such a man!

"My daughter!" he screeched "She's been kidnapped and you care nothing?"

T'bor regarded him coldly.

"If this child is indeed your daughter it seems to me that she has gone to considerable pains to sneak away from you; a far cry from being kidnapped. And I think it strange that she should feel a need for such a disguise in order to flee from your Hold. If it is she – which is by no means certain - then she has the Right to remain and demand protection from the Weyr. To settle this question – and NOT for your satisfaction – I will summon all the candidates and we shall, if it is she, ask her for her wishes. If it is NOT she, I will expect an apology from you to me, and to my weyrwoman. Indeed, I expect an apology to the Green Rider in any case. And until I get one, High Reaches will withdraw service and cover over you Hold."

Bitrul's eyes widened.

"But you can't! Your duty…."

"Our duty is to protect – in partnership with Holder and Lord Holder. If one side fails at their duty the other is relieved of theirs. Disrespecting the Riders who place their lives at risk for your lands and safety counts as a breakdown of your duty and relieves them of the duty to put their lives on the line for your sake."

"But she was being obstructive!"

"Obstructive? What has that to do with the filthy epithet you admit you called her? Even if she was so being you have no right to call any woman such names! Certainly not a weyrwoman! And I hardly think it obstructive that she did not know if some scrubby brat is of your get or no? T'arla can recognise the apprentices in the Harperweyr or those she has sung with – like that girl whatserface from your Hold; but if she can tell one small child from another that is outside her care I doubt it. T'arla is NOT maternal."

As T'arla had said herself she could not tell one child from another this was reinforcement; but Bitrul hated to back down; he was more afraid of losing an argument than anything else!

"I apologise IF I was in the wrong" he said grumpily.

"You'll apologise to HER for miscalling her" said T'bor inexorably "And in as much public as you were when you did so; and as loudly."

Bitrul glowered.

The few candidates were assembled; a couple more boys had come in since, swelling numbers to five! Perrin, a Buildercrafter boy was quickly friends with Mallitta; he was a friendly child Mall's own age who could remember everything he had ever been told or seen – a great asset to the logicators – and Yann, at eighteen turns, well above little boys. He felt deeply his position as the son of a Masterfisherman in the Fishcraft Hall; and was put out that a babe like Mall also had a firelizard. He also had no sense of humour that the youngsters could find. And, as Linter said, had little skill either, else he'd likely be a journeyman by now, or so close he'd not risk promotion for the Weyr when he had two turns left of being within age! Linter, Perrin and Mallitta found him boring in the extreme.

The girls too had assembled, and stood in a loose group; Varalie and Jerissa stared fixedly and scornfully at Bitrul, Carinn half hiding behind Varalie from so fearsome a man; though she was plainly not Mallitta and Bitrul fixedly ignored his late fosterlings.

Standing with the other boys, Mallitta sent Lissa to perch with the other weyr firelizards, in case the little creature's existence gave her away.

Her father walked down the line; and Mallitta felt a hollow feeling in her guts and desperately wanted the necessary in fear, despite being assured by Sagarra that she had every right to demand to stay!

"Where is she?" the Holder asked angrily "You have her hidden! Where is the other one?"

R'gar frowned.

"Are you accusing me of lying by failing to produce a candidate?" he growled menacingly. "Not that I even see any reason to disrupt their studies for such foolishness anyway!"

"If Holder Bitrul's daughter were amongst the male candidates it were only fair to ask if she wished to stay; and if she preferred to move in with the girls as there is one who is close to her in age" said T'bor punctiliously "It is a courtesy extended for the sake of Lady Mallene more than one who does not seem able to spell any word longer than 'rude'."

R'gar grunted, scowling menacingly.

"If she is here, she obviously chose to be so! As any idiot might realise! They're all here, Holder, is your dratted wench here or not?"

"Which one came in with Biron then?" demanded Bitrul.

"That one" R'gar pointed to Mallitta, who pulled an awful face. "MANNERS boy!"

"Sorry, Weyrlingmaster SIR!" Mallitta came to attention, deepening her voice as much as she could to a gruffly boyish tone. She too wore Farmercraft knots.

"Well that's not her. Ugly little traveller creature" said Bitrul with distaste.

R'gar frowned at him.

"Holder, if you cannot refrain from making personal remarks about my charges I shall permit them to retaliate in kind" he said coldly "And I wager they have more imaginative insults to hurl to one who disrupts their lessons for no good reason and keeps them hanging about in the cold."

Bitrul ignored him and turned on his heel.

"Come Mallene! Your fool daughter has run off elsewhere and led us a wild wherry chase in letting us think that she came to the Weyr! It's YOUR fault for not keeping a closer eye on her!"

If looks could have killed the Holder would have dropped dead from his wife's gaze!

Once they were gone, R'gar beckoned Mallitta over.

"You! Come here!"

Mallitta came there.

R'gar studied her closely.

"Heh, Walnut juice" he grunted. "Out of the woodcrafter weyr courtesy of Serelis no doubt. Don't deny it; I know my fosterlings well enough to have a shrewd idea of their levels of resourcefulness. Well, girl, you may stay with the boys if you prefer; you're younger than we like girls to be and have more in common with the smaller boys. If you prefer the girls' dorm, talk to T'lana and she'll move you over."

"Sir, please sir, if I change he might come back; or have Lord Deckter ask the Weyrleader searching questions, and right or no, it might be awkward. What the Weyrleader don't know he can't say!"

R'gar gave a grunt of laughter.

"True enough, you pest! Well at least you know enough to think about protecting the Weyrleader!"

"It's what Sagarra says, sir!"

R'gar rolled his one eye heavenwards.

"I might have known you'd have fallen in with my daughter as well as my fosterling!" he said.

R'gar had gone a long way to establish himself as Mallitta's Hero for his calm acceptance of her being a girl; it was confirmed by being Serelis' foster father and Sagarra's father!

And Holder Bitrul had forgotten to apologise to T'arla.


	16. Chapter 16

_Guest, if you're still with me, I have been watching my exclamation marks more carefully; and I meant it about starting over. If I offended seriously I do apologise. I had an attack of intolerance over the Freak who appears at least to have crawled back into his sad little hole. _

**Chapter 16**

T'bor went on Orth to see Lord Deckter himself straight away to explain why he was withdrawing service from Twosprings Hold.

"I support your position, T'bor" said Deckter gravely "But I cannot help thinking it's not the fault of the cotholders who are beholden to him, nor yet of the commons serving him…. I know the conventional answer to that is that they will lose confidence in him and overthrow him or ask my aid to prove him unfit to Hold, but there may be deaths – you may be sure he will have forgotten by now that he is in any wise in the wrong and will not inform those who would walk sweep to stay within. If I get an apology in person or written, will you accept it?"

"Willingly, my friend" said T'bor "I'd as soon have it in person; but I can read out a written apology to those who heard his initial comment."

"Very well" said Deckter. "Before Thread falls over Twosprings, which I calculate is in four days, you'll either have your apology or a new Holder in charge. Nabol does NOT hold the traditions of Meron."

"Thank you, Deckter; I appreciate it." Said T'bor.

"I suppose I can't ask someone of your Rank to take in my choice of candidate, can I?" asked Deckter.

"Depends whether he or she is likely to make a big thing out of it" said T'bor cautiously.

"Oh he won't" said Deckter "He's a modest lad – too modest in some ways. He's eighteen turns old, the son of one of my administrators, quite capable but very quiet. The lad has a cleft palate and his speech isn't very clear so he doesn't say a lot….you know how people are."

T'bor nodded. He knew how people are.

"You mean you think he'd be happier at High Reaches where there are enough people with problems to make his speech invisible – so to speak – whether he Impresses or no" said T'bor bluntly.

Deckter shrugged and grinned.

"Well, yes, that's about the size of it" he said "But I see no reason he should NOT Impress; Dragons use telepathy anyway, don't they, so his dragon won't need to unravel his speech; so long as he don't get a Bronze that means he has to shout orders. And he's clearer than that Blue Rider based at Tillek."

T'bor reflected that it was hard to be LESS clear than V'ral, whose tongue-tied incoherence was legendary. V'ral should really be back in a main fighting wing, and had made a few incomprehensible noises to that effect….but…

But as well as being incoherent, T'bor remembered that the boy had always had trouble with 'left' and 'right'; and Lord Oterel understood him and liked him; and V'ral was a good observer and his WRITTEN reports were full if rather more detailed and rambling than made them easy to unravel.

"All right, tell the lad to pack" T'bor decided "And I'll take another glass of wine with you while he does so; I guess coming in on a Bronze dragon may offset any disadvantages his lack of communication will bring; and there's few enough boys there as yet anyway. And" he added thoughtfully "With the exception of a couple, they're good hearted boys who will, I wager, take him as they find him."

oOoOo

Sekind found the little boys polite to him without irony; and Yann scornful and contemptuous towards him; but he quickly assessed that such was Yann's attitude to almost everyone. He also quickly assessed Dwissom as a bully and used actions rather than stumbling words to answer the boy when he tried to throw his weight around, laughing at the boy and ruffling his hair genially as though Dwissom had been a child of just twelve turns.

"NICE put down!" murmured Linter; and he had the support of the smallest boys from that moment!

Generally however, Sekind found himself drawn towards Biron, nearer his age and with the air of authority of his Rank; and asked if he might pick a cot next to the slightly younger boy.

Biron grinned and waved an acquiescent hand.

"Feel free" he said. "I say! Have you burned your mouth? I did that once and I had blisters for days!"

"Nah…I haf a clevt mpalad" said Sekind.

"Oh, awkward for you. Well. I should think understanding everything you say gets to be a knack that I'll learn….have you asked the Harpers if there are any voice training exercises you could do to help?"

Sekind shook his head.

Biron beamed.

"C'mon, then, we'll go and see L'gal oh and I say! You are in luck, Master Shonagar the Harper Hall voice master is visiting us for our resident VOICE – nice kid, voice soars like a firelizard, and not an ounce of side to him despite his talent – and what Master Shonagar doesn't know about voices could be written in big letters on your little pinky nail!"

Sekind was given no chance to protest; Biron whirled him off to the Harperweyr forthwith!

Master Shonagar was used to boys pleading with him to train them because they 'felt sure their voice would improve'. He had never been confronted by a boy who was not even a Harper, who oozed self confidence as he smiled winningly and said,

"I say, Master Shonagar, what you don't know about voices isn't worth knowing, can you help my friend here? He has a cleft palate and he'd like to be able to speak more clearly!"

Shonagar blinked.

"I er, have no experience with speech impediments….speak for me lad" he said to Sekind.

"Mwod shall I say?"

"Repeat a verse you know….one that gives you trouble if you can, I need to hear all that goes wrong."

"All riyed; Be feed took off add by legs wendt too add by body was obliyjed to follow….add be width by hadds add mows full of cress…..add by troad too dry to mswallow" said Sekind obediently.

Shonagar nodded.

"Menolly writes some tongue-twisters sometimes that the rest of us have trouble keeping pace with" he said. "That was a good choice to pick. Well, lad, I think we can do something between us you and I; because it will be a joint effort. It will be hard and at times a little painful; will you accept that?"

Sekind nodded. Shonagar went on,

"Then I shall teach you to breathe like a singer from the chest not the throat; so the back of your throat where the damage is will have less work to do. And you shall practice exercises of single words, formed carefully in front of a mirror. I guarantee you nothing, for this is new territory for me; but I can only try to live up to my reputation since that young imp has put me on my mettle! And if it works, I shall give my notes – and yours if you will record how you feel you are progressing – to Master Oldive the Masterhealer; and a copy to L'gal. is that acceptable?"

"Id's fandasic" said Sekind.

"Well, we'll start with breathing exercises right away" said Shonagar. "And you friend is now superfluous."

"Please sir, if I stay I can encourage him as he practises!" said Biron.

Shonagar considered.

"Oh, very well" he conceded.

Biron received a letter via firelizard the next day from his brother Bimall.

"Just got word father deposed as Holder; Lord Deckter wants me to Hold in his place. Something to do with disrespecting weyrfolk. You know anything about it? Mother just cries. And is Mallitta safe? I can't get a straight answer from Mother."

Biron went to see R'gar and showed him the letter.

"May I reply sir? Or is that out of line?"

R'gar gave a rare smile.

"A lad who has the courtesy to ask? You're a rarity, young Biron, almost Harper like in discretion! I wager there's a Brown or Bronze waiting for you! Yes, you may answer. It is well for Holderfolk to know why things happen – and of course you must assure your brother that your little sister is safe!"

"Thank you sir" said Biron, wondering how to cram all that had happened into a small enough paragraph to go by firelizard.

"Write it out fully" said R'gar, seeing his perplexed expression "And I'll send a Green Rider weyrling."

"Thank you sir!" said Biron again, much relieved!

Word filtered down from Nabol Hold – a young Blue Rider with parents in Nabol Hold went and asked nosy questions – that Lord Deckter had summoned Holder Bitrul and demanded that he go to the Weyr and make public apologies. The Holder had sneered and made certain speculative comments about the Lord Holder's relationship with T'lana. Lord Deckter had forbidden him forthwith from returning to his Hold, deposing him then and there by ripping off his knots and declaring him unfit to Hold anything larger than a dung cart, where his mind resided. Deckter had heard good reports of Bimall from such dragonfolk as had passed through Twosprings as well as from the carters who worked for him and itinerant traders the solution was to his mind obvious.

High Reaches Weyr flew Threadfall over Nabol as far as Twosprings Hold as scheduled; and T'bor stopped on his way back to speak with Bimall and congratulate the young man on his accession and give him any fuller explanations he required.

Bimall was horrified that his father had pushed the Weyr far enough to have withdrawn cover; Bitrul had said nothing of it to him. As Bimall himself would be one of those therefore at greater risk the young man felt such an omission more keenly!

"I think he forgets everything that is not to his advantage" said T'bor "Conveniently forgetting slights BY him whilst brooding on slights – real or imagined TO him. From what word I've had he was genuinely outraged that I should feel that T'arla needed an apology. It's a form of insanity in my mind; a sickness. Think of him as sick, lad; it'll be easier for you to bear that way."

Bimall bowed his head.

"His rages are certainly insane enough" he said "What's to happen to him? Do you know, sir?"

T'bor shook his head.

"I didn't think it courteous to ask" he said "HOLD business you know."

Bimall nodded.

"Varalie's right, all this politicking is childish; but I do appreciate your position sir" he said. "I'll let you know when I find out myself."

"Thank you; I appreciate the courtesy" said T'bor, who truly did!

What had happened was as follows.

Lord Deckter had placed Bitrul in a minor supervisory capacity over dung carts – as he had suggested – when the Hold necessary pits were periodically dug out, the result used as compost; and one of Deckter's own sons had caught the man beating a drudge unmercifully in one of his rages for a supposedly insolent comment. The young man, Deckran, laid Bitrul out and dragged him before his father for judgement.

Bitrul was adjudged a danger to others; and, despising Holdlessness as a punishment, Deckter sent him in shackles to work in the mines where he would be surrounded by those able to take care of themselves, for he was to be isolated from all other prisoners.

As Deckter said, had had given the fellow a second chance in a supervisory capacity; and he had failed to take it.

The Lord Holder found the saddest thing about the episode was how the man's youngest children rejoiced that he was confined and that they need never see him again; for Deckter's niece J'esha kept her uncle posted about much that went on in the Weyr!

In the meantime the female candidates were joined by another girl, a turn or so younger than Varalie; she had a little brown firelizard. She was brought in by T'lana herself.

"This is Ramina, girls, and she has the useful skill of sensing Thread. And I want you kids to make sure she gets no crackdust from anyone else who might come in, because she's virtually a weyr fosterling and her little brother IS fostered here – that's young Dortol for those of you that work with the animals."

Ramina flushed at the introduction.

"T'lana's too kind….we owe everything to her and the logicators!"

"A story!" demanded Jerissa.

"Poor girl, let her put her kit away" laughed Varalie.

"We'll help and THEN hear the story" said Carinn.

Mallitta had moved surreptitiously in with the girls since the news had come of her father's deposal - much to Carinn's surprise – but still dressed as a boy, and not willing to give up friendship with Linter and Perrin. She grinned.

"Don't let Carinn help you unpack, she has a talent that makes everything she touches disappear _Between_!"

"Quiet you!" Carinn poked Mallitta in the ribs and the little girl doubled up giggling.

"Oy! That tickles!"

"That was the general idea" said Carinn cheerfully.

Varalie and Jerissa helped Ramina stow her meagre possessions while the poking fight escalated.

"We'll listen like civilised folk while the babes cavort, shall we?" suggested Jerissa loudly.

The fight stopped and two more pairs of ears were at Ramina's disposal.

She told her tale with simple dignity; of the dirty tricks perpetrated against her cothold, culminating in the murder of her father by two crooks who wanted to grow fellis and ferment it in a particular way that made a hallucinogenic drug. She explained how she had walked to the weyr to beg help, and how the logicators under T'lana had found out what was happening, and then come to an arrangement with Lord Bargen's steward whereby dragonmen would drop in to do heavy chores so that she and her four brothers would not lose their cothold; and how now T'lana had found an older Blue Rider who was near to retirement and who was distantly related to her; who had moved in to help her brother, a turn her junior, so that she might come to the weyr.

"T'lana feels that I should try and Impress" she said "And if a gift to sense Thread is truly rare then I have to agree; because I should give back what I can to the Weyr that has done more for my family than any but kin might do."

There were general sounds of approval from the other girls!

Only one more girl arrived before the clutch was laid; and she was not brought in, so much as she brought herself!

The last part of her journey was dragonback, because T'thar was doing a lot of Straight flight to acquaint himself personally with a modern High Reaches and such cotholds and Holds that had grown up since his time. He had seen a figure determinedly tramping along; and the figure waved to Rinth. T'thar had swooped down and asked if there was anything he might do.

"Are you from High Reaches, Brown Rider?" the girls – for such the figure turned out to be – asked.

T'thar nodded.

"I'm coming to ask to be taken on Search; is it possible that you will give me a lift, or if not point me in the right direction? You do put girls and women to Greens, don't you?"

"We do indeed" he replied to the last first, thinking how it would have scandalised T'kul. Somehow that made him relish the idea the more. "And of course I'm happy to give you a lift; if you don't mind riding with me while I finish my patrol."

"Mind? I'd be honoured!" gasped the girl.

As she had four firelizards – a bronze, a blue and two greens – it seemed eminently sensible that she should come to the Weyr; and after finishing the region he intended to survey that day he took her back and deposited her on Varalie with an explanation of how he found her; and left it to Varalie to sort out, being as he said airily what weyrwomen were for.

Varalie wondered if she felt any pangs of jealousy that the dragonrider she had rescued had now been able to do a favour for another girl; but decided that she did not. Evidently, despite the supposed romance of the situation did not affect her. After all, T'thar - such of him as she had seen recently – was more akin to being as a brother to her. She smiled at his find.

"Name's Iadra" said the girl "From Telgar Hold."

"Wait a minute – are you telling me you've walked all the way from Telgar Hold?" asked Varalie.

Iadra shrugged.

"Well, I was hardly going to fly, was I?" she said, reasonably. I only hear where dragons are, I can't speak to them same as I can to firelizards."

Varalie blinked.

"I think T'lana's going to need to know about such useful talents" she said "My friend Jerissa knows when dragons arrive but that's it….and K'shon's reckoned highly useful because he senses where dragons are….they can do more tricky manoeuvring because of it I think."

"Oh? Well that's good. It'd be nice to be wanted for a change" said Iadra. "Some people reckon I'm creepy because their lizards will talk to me."

The girl was surrounded in firelizards other than her own four, chirping happily.

"I suppose it makes people jealous" said Varalie, fighting her own jealousy, since her three firelizard were amongst those making affectionate noises to Iadra. "It could be real useful to help co-ordinate the firelizards that work on the Protective wing…..mine went off to help T'rin because I told them too but it would be more efficient, you know. Is that how come you've Impressed so many?"

"Kind of….the little queen belonging to one of the Ranking members of the Hold was busy telling me where she'd hidden her clutch, but when I got there to take them to her human these were the only ones that hadn't hatched. They're daft creatures, but I love them dearly" she said softly, scratching the headknobs of her bronze, blue and greens. "Anyway, it occurred to me that though they don't really BELONG to anyone except the little queen herself I might be in trouble; being a drudge and nobody's child, you see. And I bumped into, of all people, Lord Larad himself, and his firelizard started chatting to me; and he asked me questions, ever so kindly, and I told him what had happened. And he was really nice about it and when I told him about speaking to firelizards he said I belonged in a Weyr. So he spoke to R'mart…."

"And the hidebound old fool laughed scornfully?" asked T'thar who had never had a high opinion of R'mart even in the Old Time.

Iadra shrugged.

"I – I don't know. Lord Larad said they weren't looking for a Queen candidate and the only Weyr he knew of that put girls to Greens was High Reaches. So I started walking."

"And" T'lana's voice came crisply from the door "A fine dance you've led us! Lord Larad was upset that you'd run out and contacted us here right away; and people have been looking for you, rather covertly, so as not to upset R'mart, ever since. You shift faster than we calculated; we were looking for you to cross from Crom to Nabol in about two days, based on what I can do; and I'm no slouch on foot when I have to be."

"I can shift, ma'am" said Iadra. "So – so you were expecting me?"

"Hoping for you, anyway" said T'lana. "I'll let Lord Larad know; he's a decent type" said T'lana. "It's just like him to take an interest in all his people, even one most would ignore – and to accept your Impression of hidden eggs! He'll take it as a compliment to his Hold if – or as I suspect when – you Impress; he considers himself your guardian you know!"

"It was so kind of him to ask Telgar Weyr – I never dreamed he'd actually talk to High Reaches too!" said Iadra.

"He goes the extra mile – like the best Holders do" said T'lana. "He had to ask R'mart first out of courtesy of course.

"And R'mart wouldn't know a new idea if it kicked him up the rear" commented T'thar, who had adapted well to the High Reaches radical policy.

"You wrong him, dear one" said T'lana mildly "He'd recognise it then try to have it exiled."

T'thar gave a cynical laugh.

T'lana added,

"But he backed F'lar; never forget that. He backed F'lar at Lord Asgenar's wedding and stood against T'ron and T'kul. We honour him for that, for supporting the idea that times had changed; and he honour him for the work that Telgar Weyr does fighting Thread according to its ability."

"We just think that ability limited" muttered T'thar sotto voce, having been amazed at the complexity and efficiency of the High Reaches formations. He had also got to know T'mon and undersized Denth; and whilst, like many Oldtimers, he felt the boy had been misguided in breaking Denth's shell, the subsequent actions of beating the boy half senseless and sending him – with open welts taken _Between_ – to High Reaches 'with the other cranks and cripples' were quite unforgivable. And Denth had proved his worth over and over in mountain rescue, getting down with a healer passenger where a full sized dragon could not.

Iadra was Ramina's age; and they seemed to get on well, being a pair of down to earth girls who got on and did whatever they had to do. It was working out very well to date, for Mallitta got on well with Carinn, though the two little girls went round as a group with Linter and Perrin; and the four were accepted by Sagarra and friends as an extension of their own group. Varalie and Jerissa remained close, despite or perhaps because of their different temperaments; though being outdoors most of the time and having risky pursuits to occupy her seemed to have exorcised most of Jerissa's little devils of mischief!

The news of the stolen and returned Queen Egg from Benden was hot news of course; and the senior Weyrfolk were tense and upset! When T'bor returned from Benden whence he had been summoned, T'lana went off in a hurry, and returned with a nasty bruise on her cheek but a look of grim satisfaction on her face; and not a comment would she make about it to the candidates or in their hearing!


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

It was warm enough really to be called summer when Tamalenth installed herself in the Hatching Cavern, the day after the fracas over Benden's egg, and started laying her own eggs; an excitement that dispelled any talk over the doings in another Weyr.

Tamalenth laid forty eggs; a large number once again. One had a golden shell; but it was no bigger than any of the others, in fact was among the smaller eggs, not the much larger shell that was usually anticipated for a Queen.

"Well" said Pilgra philosophically to the other Queenriders "Nobody can say anything about Tamalenth laying a sport; for she's Benden bred when all's said and done."

"Ramoth herself laid a sport" said T'lana "Ruth. There's a reason for all things; having a small Queen with all a Queen's superior understanding could be even more useful in some situations than Denth in mountain rescue. Dragonfolk protect – in any capacity. And shells knows, we need good mountain rescue around here when the caprines have better brains than half the fools who own them."

"Tamalenth's a bit apologetic" said L'rilly "She hoped that she and Esruth would make a Queen but she can't think how it came to be so small."

"Tell her it's a beautiful egg, dear one" said T'lana.

L'rilly smiled.

It was a courtesy of T'lana's to go through L'rilly when the younger girl could talk to all dragons herself.

"She says thank you" said L'rilly.

"I wonder who ranks a Queen" murmured Pilgra "We had several in the last clutch I'd not have felt uneasy about on a Queen – and the clutch before. And we've six queens already, counting L'exa's Elith."

T'lana shrugged.

"We'll see what we see" she said. "Dragons know best."

The first female candidate in after clutching was most categorically NOT T'lana's idea of Queenrider material; or any dragonrider material for that matter.

B'lova's cousin Gwessina arrived with her twin Margwes; and her younger cousin Siriwenne, who fostered with T'lana, promptly fled. T'lana had herself conceived a disliking for Gwessina over the girl's callous behaviour to poor little Siriwenne, and had to tell herself firmly that the girl might have improved, and must be given every fair chance.

Margwes, in contrast, was a happy go lucky lad, ready for adventure and a compassionate enough lad to want to be encouraging to Sekind. He was between Sekind and Biron in age and found them comforting companions in that they understood his Ranking background, Biron too being of Rank and Sekind coming from a family given respect in a Major Hold and, in practical terms, having influence over more lives than many a Minor Holder. Margwes told his new friends that he meant to watch out for his sister, but unless she ran foul of real bullying he intended to let her get her corners knocked off by the other girls.

"She'll not Impress the way she is" he said cheerfully "For she's too fond of herself to have room to love a dragon. It's only been the last two or three turns; she used to be pretty all right as sisters go!"

"Heh, Varalie and Jerissa'll sort her out" opined Biron!

At about the same time there arrived from Tillek Hold a cousin of Lord Oterel's Lady Steward. Margesha was twenty turns old, and convinced that her superior turns gave her the right to take charge.

As Gwessina felt her Rank gave her the right to take charge, feathers flew.

"Am I or am I not the oldest in this dormitory?" demanded Margesha after trying to tell the younger girls how to organise their things; which effort was entirely ignored by all of them.

"Dragons don't count age, size or social Rank" said Varalie softly.

"There has to be some kind of rank structure in a dormitory though" said Margesha "To see that everyone pulls her weight and keeps the place tidy."

"You've rather missed the point of being a candidate" said Jerissa "We're supposed to be learning to be independent and discipline ourselves and – and thake things on our own recognisance. If anyone feels encroached on by the untidiness of others, it's up to them to complain to the culprit; and if the untidy lose stuff, that's their own fault."

"Besides, if anyone has a right to give orders it should be the person born to it…." Gwessina began.

"Shut UP Gwessina" chorused several voices; it had virtually become a refrain.

"And NOBODY has the right to give orders anyhow" said Varalie "Though I'd grant more respect to the suggestions of a journeyman if there was one. Margesha, if you throw your weight around, all the rest of us have to do is stick together to ignore you totally. We don't have to obey you; the only person who thinks you should have any right to act like an auntie is you. And if you start tidying up after people that's interfering with their property and is next door to theft. By all means, if Carinn's stuff finds its way into your space, drop it in the bathing pool or throw it at her; that's fair enough. But that's all."

"And believe me, you DON'T want us to stop talking to you" said Carinn in heartfelt tones "They did it once to me, months ago when I couldn't open my mouth without being tactless. I soon learned not to be an idiot. You can too!"

"T-a-a-a-ct" drawled Varalie to Jerissa "I'd say she still had a way to go!"

Jerissa giggled.

"Var is right, Margesha. Don't push us around; we won't take it. We're here to Impress. That means every one of us expects to fight Thread and stand up not just for ourselves but for others. We're not Hold drudges cowed by turns of being put down that you can bully."

Margesha flushed.

"I do not bully! I'm only trying to help you kids!"

"Well don't bother" said Mallitta "We'll sink or swim without being bossed, by you or Gwessina who incidentally I outrank because she's only niece and I'm sister of Holder so sucks to you Gwessina…..we'll take being bossed by proper people like T'lana or R'gar or like Var says Journeymen – or even an established apprentice or someone who has a proper job – but not from another candidate, specially one who doesn't even know her way around the weyr yet!"

"Quite" said Gwessina "And I have rank here too, because my cousin is already an Impressed weyrwoman so I …."

"Still know diddly squat like Margesha" said Jerissa rudely "B'lova groaned and called for Benden Red to drown her sorrows when your Hold Green arrived. She's not that keen on you either, snooty nose!"

"You've no sense of respect!" scolded Margesha "Referring to the Weyrlingmaster and Weyrlingmistress by name like that, and a Blooded Rider too! You'd better shape up, you kids….."

"Shut it" said Ramina in the tone she was wont to use to her younger brothers "For one thing T'lana and R'gar stand foster parents to several of us; for another, High Reaches operates on a respect that goes more than name deep. And for a third, if we're going on who might have say it should then be the one who's been here the longest; and as that's Carinn, who has the common sense of a wherry on fellis that breaks THAT right down. T'lana will appoint someone to be in charge IF she feels it necessary, if we have idiots who need to be told what to do because they're unlikely to Impress and have to have their sorry lives ordered for them."

There was something of a stunned silence; Ramina did not often speak up, so when she did, it carried weight!

"And unless anyone starts acting the crazy caprine T'lana won't" said Varalie. "We are supposed, as Jerissa said, to be here under our own recognizance and acting as adults because if we Impress we'll be risking our very lives in less than two turns. Everyone over fourteen is accounted an adult in the weyr. We should not need supervision and I for one resent your assumption that we do, and moreover that you have the qualifications to give it. You don't even have a craft!"

Margesha flushed.

"I am trained in administration. And, having lived longer than you, I have seen more of life."

"Oh? How often have you travelled from your Hold? How many new places have you seen?"

"None of course; one does not. And don't think of counting fostering, for that is no different to normal life!"

"Well, my dear parochial little caprine, I have spent time studying in the Harper Hall; I have no aptitude beyond hobby playing so could not take a full apprenticeship. I have fostered as well; I have been walking sweep for almost a turn now and I have seen Threadfall from but a few spans distance. I wager you've never had that level of life experience in all your twenty turns you sheltered creature."

"And I" said Jerissa "Have travelled across Crom, Telgar and Nabol with my father, a Hold Marksman, staying in many different places, living in the open when we must, meeting new people. And Iadra has walked to High Reaches all the way from Telgar Hold without even the support of a family to take advantage of our putting girls to Greens. Ramina has been a cotholder with youngsters to care for too for several turns. Do NOT presume that your limited experiences are equal to those or exceed those of others!"

"We ALL" said Varalie "Have experiences to add to each other; we can ALL learn from each other. I for one admire Iadra her determination and fortitude to walk here. And I surely admire Ramina for dealing with having her father murdered and taking up the Holding of a cot at not a dozen turns old. So having established that, let us start again. You look as though you might be a jolly enough person when not assuming that we are under your control. New start?" she held out her hand.

Margesa hesitated; they had been furious and she had no idea that such young girls might have such wide experiences, assuming them all to have been the sheltered girls of upper ranking members of Holds and coddled the way Mallene tried to coddle her charges. She took the proffered hand hesitantly.

"You do certainly sound mature for your turns; and I would not have expected any girl to walk sweep." She admitted.

"Don't go there" said Jerissa.

"Give the girl a chance" said Varalie "She's trying."

"Unlike Gwessina who's just trying" muttered Mallitta.

Candidates began coming in thick and fast, more boys than girls of course, but girls were not lacking for all that!

"It's an odd thing how things go in turns" reflected T'lana, in philosophical mood "Last clutching we had a dearth of candidates from Tillek, or any coastal Hold; this time, if you'll pardon the pun, we're drowning in them!"

"As you say it's the way it goes" agreed R'gar "Like some times you get all babes or all older ones; and last clutch we had the best men amongst the girls! I'll be interested to see how the lad Menell shapes up, the lad who was from that awful Hold we had E'ledur, Lyseder and Allessa from before it was scattered. Several families ended up in Needlecove Hold, where our V'gian comes from. They seem to be doing well there, this lad included. At least he's a normal naughty adventurous little boy at the lower end of the age range."

"I heard that he and Selner, the lad who wild-Impressed a green Firelizard when out sailing, got sick of Yann for throwing his weight around and made him an apple pie bed filled with fish guts."

R'gar grinned.

"Funnily enough I never found out officially who did it; or even that it had happened. It must have slipped my mind. Biron was furious though; they stole some of his precious fertiliser. Nothing like rotting fish. I wager he had them clean it up and return it to his compost heap."

"Internal settling of disputes is much better than heavy handedness from us" said T'lana. "The girls have all but 'sent to Southern' Gwessina, but the silly chit won't back down. They stopped dead the attempts of that older girl Margesha to boss them, for which I'm glad. It would have been good neither for her nor them."

"What do you think of the female seabred candidate?"

"Laswenne? Well, she's been here a day, three days less than Margesha; and I'm not sure if there's a decent kid in there or if I want to shake her."

"If there's a decent kid, you'll find her" said R'gar confidently. "She's not what you call tractable or courteous, is she?"

"She's rude, insubordinate and truculent; her only good feature is that when, instead of obeying an order she says 'why?' she generally listens to the answer and obeys if she understands good reason. What I'm most concerned about is her insensitivity. Rude, insubordinate, truculent kids can still grow up – look at L'rilly and B'lova – but if she's truly callous, that's worrying."

"Y'lara's pretty thick skinned."

"Y…yes…but Y'lara's always been sympathetic in an offhand way to the woes and problems of others even if she never understood them until she was ill herself. Laswenne doesn't understand why crafters like Varalie would waste their time crafting to support useless brats who should be left out to die. I quote."

R'gar pulled a face.

"A lot of seaholds live pretty close to the brink of survival" he said "Any unproductive mouth can mean hardship or death for that child's siblings. She doesn't perhaps understand surplus; and its allied concept of social conscience yet."

"I hope that's all it is" said T'lana "Maybe once she realises that feeding the less fortunate doesn't take the food out of her own mouth she'll be more open to compassion."

Laswenne's comments about 'useless brats' had fired up both Varalie and Jerissa; they even stood behind Margesha in support of the older girl when she lectured Laswenne about Sh'rilla who had not been deemed useless by a Golden Queen and who put her crippled life on the line for the snivelling able bodied cowards that dared not.

"Nice" murmured Jerissa at that turn of phrase. Margesha smiled gravely.

"And what's more my girl" Margesha wound up her peroration to Laswenne "You can yourself catch the disease that crippled Sh'rilla in the first place; it's rare but it happens."

Laswenne sniffed.

"I hope if I get debilitated like that I'd have the sensitivity to take an overdose of fellis not to be a drag on those around me" she said.

Varalie stopped Jerissa from slapping the girl.

"Don't get in trouble for a useless and unproductive brat my dear" she said to her friend. "She's not worth troubling over. T'rin would have been heartbroken if Sh'rilla had suicided because she's lovable; I guess this one has no one to care if she lives or dies. We need have nothing to do with someone whose greatest accomplishments are snivelling and gutting packtails."

Gwessinna, 'sent to Southern', might have made a push at this point to make a pact with Laswenne; but Gwessina despised Laswenne for being lowborn fisherfolk; and Laswenne despised Gwessina equally for being a snot-nosed idle ornament.

It did not lead to comfort and harmony around either of them; but as most of the other girls got on well enough together they ignored their disharmonious elements and cared little!

Margesha made an effort to talk sense at Laswenne; and got precisely nowhere.

"You're wasting your pearls of wisdom, Margesha" said Jerissa. "Leave her – with your advanced years she's like to give you grey hairs!"

Now that Margesha was getting used to Jerissa'a bantering speech she laughed ruefully, knowing that no offence was intended.

"Oh I didn't think I would succeed; but id' despise myself if I didn't try."

Varalie nodded.

"I know; one feels that it is proper to try to show people how nice it is to be nice, and how to be happy."

Margesha stared.

"I was about to call you a funny kid, but thinking it over, you know, that was quite profound – and very true" she said. "Well! I'll not further waste my breath on her; Gwessina I'm sure is better material."

"Certainly when she's been softened up a bit in 'Southern'" said Varalie. "Her brother's all right; our friend Biron likes him. She's tried running to him and got sent back with her tail between her legs so maybe she'll be coming round soon."

"Or maybe not" said Jerissa grimacing. "Only way Gwessina's coming round is if she finds something in life she loves more than Gwessina"

"It could happen with Impression" said Margesha.

"I thought you had to be half decent at least to reach out to the dragonets?" said Varalie.

"T'lana says they sense _Between_ time" contradicted Jerissa "Maybe they sense if people will improve for the loving of them!"

"That makes my head ache!" said Margesha.

"Mine too!" groaned Varalie!

Gwessina had moaned vociferously to Margwes about how horrible the girls were being to her; and her twin had asked her some searching questions about WHY she had been 'sent to Southern'. And when he found out, unravelling her self pitying complaints, he told her to shape up or shut up.

Gwessina was lonely and miserable; she had never imagined that being a candidate would be like this! For a while she pictured herself martyred and hard done by, picked on by bullying girls and made fun of because they were low born and she was not. Unfortunately that was untrue, and she knew it; Jerissa, Varalie, Malitta and nominally Carinn were all Ranking and Mallitta DID outrank her! And how fosterlings of Queenriders like Ramina counted she had no idea, and rumours were that Iadra was considered a fosterling of not a Holder but a Lord Holder! She had not even that to comfort herself with! Gwessina imagined Impressing the Golden egg and outranking them all easily; though had she realised that it as undersized she might have revised this dramatic dream somewhat, as prestige and adulation for herself came high on her priorities!

Loneliness and resentment might eat into Gwessina; but she might have stubbornly lived with them had not her twin's frank comments hurt her more.

"You used to be so nice, Gwessi" he said "Until those daft girls who came in for fostering and schooling flattered you so much you fell in love with Gwessi."

The girls he spoke of had been from outlying large cotholds that were beholden to Riverbend Hold, which was an unusually scattered community for a Hold; the girls and their various brothers spent a turn doing concentrated schooling under the tutelage of the Hold Harper, to give them a broader base of education than they might get from a travelling Harper like Uncle Arfan as the twins called him though he was strictly speaking a cousin not an uncle to them. Gwesina and Margwes had been two of those from outlying communities, almost small Holds in themselves; and the close kinship to Holder Marlov had caused the less well born girls to flatter Gwessina and suck up to her. Partly it was to get an introduction to her brother, whose inheritance would be very respectable; but that had not occurred to her!

Riverbend had a main Hold of perhaps a thousand souls and a dozen or so subsidiary caverns in the river cliffs ranging from two hundred or more people – such as Margwes and Gwessina's father's Hold – down to a few dozen. There were outlying cots too, all under the Holdership of Holder Marlov. People had spread out during the Long Interval and were reluctant to move back into big Holds, more so perhaps in the High Reaches area than anywhere else on Pern, for having strong minded independent people, used to dealing with harsh weather and natural disasters such that Thread was only one more thing that nature had thrown at them.

Gwessina was no exception to being a strong minded individual; and she resented her brother's intimation that she had been manipulated.

She looked back over the turns for the first time; and saw the flattery for what it was; and started to cry in anger as much as self pity!


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Varalie found Gwessina sobbing in her bunk; and being kind hearted promptly forgot the 'sending to Southern' and plonked herself down beside the girl to wrap an arm around her.

"Are you ill?" she asked "Or has anyone been nasty to you?"

Gwessina sniffed.

"Only you lot" she said trying to shrug away.

"Huh, you don't even KNOW nasty" said Varalie "Nasty is when they twist your arm so hard you're left with an aching shoulder for days and the skin ripped off on your wrist….or when your head is held under the bathing pool til you think you're going to pass out…..turds left in your bed….things like that."

Gwessina sat right up, jerked out of her self pity.

"Someone's done that to you?" she asked.

Varalie shrugged.

"I have unpleasant cousins…. And there was a horrid girl in the Harper Hall. She got sent home for bullying a little kid, Vaek, smaller than our Malli, though she was quite grown up; and when H'gey – he was still Horgey then and still in a wheeled chair – made himself stand to try to stop her she pushed him over AND clouted his firelizard!"

"No!" Gwessina, spoilt brat as she was in many ways, could not imagine such behaviour. She stroked the headknob of her concerned little blue firelizard, horrified at anyone hurting one of the exquisite little creatures!

"Yup. Heard the whole story from K'iara – Kitiara as was, and apprenticed at the Harper Hall at the time – when I first got here. She weyrs with H'gey; they were betrothed before he Impressed, and she was well angry about the whole affair!" said Varalie. K'iara was also an enthusiastic logicator and the two girls had caught up with each other at the meetings, their only real leisure time!

"You all hate me though" said Gwessina, with perverse satisfaction.

"We hate the way you make a lot of something that dragons – and by extension, weyrfolk – don't find important" said Varalie. "I just forgot the Rank I have – such as it is, being only granddaughter of minor – and settled in."

"I see you don't wear any knots but apprentice" said Gwessina "How was I to know at first other people ranked me? Mallitta doesn't wear her knots either, I'd not have known she outranked me if she hadn't said."

Varalie shrugged.

"Being apprenticed is more important to both of us. It's something we've earned by aptitude. Holders and Lords Holder work hard and weyrfolk respect that and the hard work of such of their relatives they put in positions of supervision. And it's expected that the respect will be mutual; which is why Lord Deckter deposed Bitrul and replaced him with Bimall, his eldest son – that's our Biron's and Mallitta's brother. Bitrul disrespected the Weyr. And a Weyrleader would equally discipline a dragonrider who behaved badly towards Holderfolk. Like T'kul being sent literally to Southern. But just being part of an important family doesn't make anyone automatically wonderful; and the commons respect the ones do a bit more than look decorative, you know, and despise those who are merely decorative. Biron and Bimall learned about farming and husbandry in the Hold – and now Biron's learning more as an apprentice, as is Mallitta who never had the chance to learn more at her Hold - and those brothers have a lot of respect from the commons, who'd work harder to impress them. I've seen all this, for Jerissa and I fostered there for a while" she added in explanation.

Gwessina was finding more to have to re-evaluate!

She had assumed that her brother's friend was just some bovine farmer boy with as many brains as his herds; to find he was Ranking and CHOSE to become a Farmcraft apprentice was a shock. She had yet to learn that intellect did not necessarily vary directly with Rank.

"I don't think I could be an apprentice" she said in a small voice "I don't know enough about any craft."

"The point of being an apprentice is to learn more" said Varalie dryly. "You need a basic aptitude of course. But not all people in the Weyr become apprentices. Some of us just felt it was good to have a craft behind us – especially those of who hate our families and don't want to go home whether we Impress or no; though at least Biron and Mallitta are all right now their father is gone; but if I go home I shall be married to the highest bidder after being thrashed for something or other because my grandfather wants to get rid of me. I can make my own living without having to go back to him if I don't Impress."

"I guess I'm pretty lucky in my family" said Gwessina, shocked.

"Well, that's something to focus on, isn't it? You're not likely to get beaten for failing if you don't Impress, so I guess you have nothing to fear in going home anyway. And if you can get your priorities a bit straighter, you'll have a better chance of Impressing anyhow. They say B'lova was rather spoilt when she came here first – don't you think it might be a good idea to talk to HER about how to shape up?"

Gwessina looked nervous.

"She – she looks at me like I came out of a tail fork!" she said.

"Well, don't you think it would be nice to get her liking you better?" persisted Varalie. "It must be awfully uncomfortable to have your own cousin disliking you in a place you both are living. At least I always meant to escape my grandfather and my cousins some day."

"I – I couldn't go and talk to her!" said Gwessina.

"Well, in that case, I shall have to!" said Varalie, springing to her feet. "Don't go anywhere!"

Gwessina opened her mouth to protest, but Varalie was already gone.

oOoOo

"Excuse me, Green Rider, may I talk to you?"

B'lova turned to look at the candidate, a girl T'arla and J'nara had mentioned, and who came to logicator meetings.

"I'd have said you were already talking to me" she said.

Varalie flushed at the drawled irony but persisted. There was nothing to be nervous about, she told herself!

"It's about Gwessina" she began.

B'lova frowned.

"Just because she's my cousin doesn't mean I take responsibility for her actions. You girls will have to sort out her tantrums for yourselves."

Varalie scowled, suddenly more angry than nervous.

"Well I think it's pretty unkind of you not to care that your cousin's unhappy and needs help" she said "That family's supposed to be able to give. And she told me her family were good to her" she let the scorn show in her voice "Good day to you, Green Rider."

B'lova blinked.

"Hold hard kid" she said "Are you telling me you want me to HELP her? You're not complaining about her?"

Varalie looked down her nose.

"That was what I was going to tell you, Green Rider until you bit my nose off before I could even begin."

B'lova pulled a rueful face.

"I apologise. I assumed – and of course, to assume makes an ass out of you and me – that she was being a pain and you hoped I'd give her a talking to" she said.

"Well, she has been" said Varalie frankly "So we 'sent her to Southern' and it seems to have worked 'cos she's been howling in her bunk and I really think she might need some family support right now. Oh I talked to her first – I didn't chicken out and just run for you" she added in hasty irritation as she saw a look of contempt come into B'lova's eyes "But if you have a decent family, well I'd guess nothing could beat that, 'cos I know three girls who have loving family and they're all right."

B'lova nodded, suddenly filled too with sympathy for a girl who revealed that she knew of loving families by hearsay only.

"All right" she said "Thanks kid; I'll see where I can get with her. And I shan't forget that you've got balls and compassion too."

B'lova plumped herself onto Gwessina'a bed in about the same way Varalie had.

"Now then kiddie" she said to her young cousin "I guess the best thing I can do for you is to tell you what a little brat I was when I first came to the Weyr and what a nuisance I made of myself; and how T'lana made me think and evaluate what the important things in life were"

"Oh B'lova, I'm so lonely and miserable….and – and I think the only reason people have EVER said they'd be friends with me before is because of my Rank!" howled Gwessina.

"For some of them – perhaps the most of them – I'm afraid that's true" said B'lova bluntly. "Even here I have men wanting to be friends with me purely in the hopes of getting a mate for their Blue or Brown. I picked a weyrmate who admired me from afar and who I like. But a lot of people are shallow or have ulterior motives – even some dragonmen – and can see no further than apparent rank, or favours you can do them and how to get the most for themselves by licking the right arse." Gwessina looked shocked at the older girl's crudity and B'lova laughed "I learned a lot of cynicism as I grew up" she explained. "I also learned that, however much you might despise people for shallowness or hidebred attitudes, they are still people who still need our protection. Threatening to withdraw cover for Threadfall is a terrible thing to have to do, and not done lightly and not for simple everyday silliness. We just have to learn to live with that; Riders no less than the Ranking, that people say one thing to our face, all smiles and deference, and say another thing behind our backs. You learn to recognise sincerity; and to some extent Impression enlarges your ability to sense the feelings and emotions of others. You hope to ride a dragon; and you have the sense not to push for a Golden Queen. So you hope to protect; that is our function. We care more for the lives of the people beneath is – however foolish some of them are – than for our own. Shocks you, doesn't it, when I spell it out?"

Gwessia nodded.

"Dragons are so beautiful…I never thought past that" she said honestly.

"They are indeed" B'lova's face softened "And when you Impress, you're never alone again… and you will never want to let your dragon down by skimping duty. But human companionship is good too – and there ARE people out there without any side. This Val – Var – whatserface – kid seems a good sort."

"Varalie" supplied Gwessina. "I guess she didn't have to come and talk to me."

"No she didn't" said B'lova "Nor did she have to tick off a Blooded Green Rider for not caring enough about her young relative. That took a few guts, however free and easy it is at High Reaches"

"DID she?" Gwessina stared.

"Oh yes…I thought she wanted me to tell you off and got really snippy because I misunderstood her motives; and she stod up to me and told me what she thought" B'lova grinned. "That's a good weyrwoman in THAT one or I'll eat the shards of Linith's shell. I know the smart money for the Gold Egg is on Iadra or Ramina but I think I'll have a flutter on Varalie."

"I guess she is different to girls I've known" said Gwessina. "That – that's what started me behaving…..well, stuck up I suppose…..the girls in the fostering told me I was pretty and clever and worth a lot. I – I was stupid and believed them."

"My dear kid, you are pretty; and clever. And looks like you're learning to wise up too, that's worth more than clever. The trouble is, what constitutes 'worth a lot'" said B'lova. "Now let me tell you my story…."

She told of her own start in the Weyr, how she had revelled in the sexual freedom to the extent that she had gained an unsavoury reputation; and how spoiled she had been, and, being unpopular with other candidates replaced sex for love.

"HOW I resented H'llon – Hallon he still was then – having four firelizards" she said "I despised him as lowborn; and one of the reasons I hated him – besides his turning down my advances – was that I knew he was a better man than me, more popular, cleverer….it was jealously born of always having been the centre of my family's life, especially mummy" she grimaced "At least daddy used to brook my whims from time to time or I'd be incurable; and if I get a bit wilful, Y'lara calls me 'Belle-baby' to remind me. Uncle Markin and Auntie Gwesela haven't spoilt you, so it's only those silly girls you have to get over."

"Father spoils me a bit" said Gwessina in a small voice "If mother says 'no' to something I can usually wheedle him to say 'yes' without telling him she's denied me….and he calls me his 'Precious Golden Queen' – for my hair you know."

"Parents can be silly" shrugged B'lova "You're not the only one – I heard the father of an awful candidate we had last turn use the same name for her. She went home after D're spanked her; and she's no end improved, though poor kid she's got no reason to feel nice, for she crippled herself saving the life of another girl. Anyway, parents do things like that; as you know mother calls me Belle-baby and that's why Y'lara using it pulls me up short because I don't want to be an ickle muvver's darling. But one lives with it from parents; because they only do it out of love. You just have to look on it with tolerant amusement and learn that just because THEY thing the sun and greater moon shine out of your fundament, actually it doesn't. Once you accept that you're quite ordinary, really, but aspire to be good enough to do an extraordinary job, then you're getting somewhere. Especially when you learn that Rank is what you earn, not something you get given on a plate. Dragons don't look at knots. They look at the heart. If you are brave and compassionate, you Impress. If you aren't, you don't. It really is that simple."

"I don't know about being compassionate" said Gwessina "I – I mean, I heard about the childhold and people like Sh'rilla but it makes me curl up inside with horror, I don't want to hear about things that are nasty and ugly!"

"Well it's a sight better than callous indifference" said B'lova "But if you can't make yourself face unpleasantness, my child, you will not Impress. Though I suppose, having said that, plenty of people from other Weyrs still fear disability or they'd not be so disparaging about our cranks and cripples….it is, you see, partly a fear that such might have happened to YOU, dear child, and a guilty gladness that it didn't. And when you can accept that and acknowledge the fault you can deal with it far more easily. But you know what, kid?" – Gwessina shook her head and B'lova went on – "I'd rather be hideously deformed, burned ugly by Thread than have a deformed spirit that doesn't let me feel for people who are crippled."

Gwessina digested that.

"Green Rider Sh'ranis seems happy" she said, referring to the girl whose looks were marred by an ugly birthmark over one side of her face.

"She is now. With Payeth to love her she KNOWS at least one person doesn't care. And she made friends with M'rian, whose husband, brother and father all died on the same fishing trip. Most outsiders now just assume it's Threadscar, perhaps burned out, and give her respect. But she knows how to be happy because she knows love. Time you learned."

Gwessina nodded.

"I – I suppose I'd not have thrown my Rank around quite as much if Margesha hadn't started going on about how much older she was and assumed the right to give orders…..the other girls stamped on her pretty thoroughly and she's sort of friends with them now…."

"Yes, it's a bit tough on her being the only older one" said B'lova. "Often we have several older women rather than girls; but not this last couple of clutches. Like we had a load of babes amongst the boys Impressing. Reckon it means our fighting wings are good enough and we can afford to let the kids grow up properly before blooding them. And that's good. Gwessi, my dear girl, your future is in your own hands. You can tell the girls you're sorry you had your priorities wrong and ask to start again; and work towards friendships with them; and as to coping with ugly things, well, Thread's an ugly thing and you'll either learn to cope or not."

"It – it's not so much Thread, but the ugly things that happen to people" said Gwessina.

"Then here's how to learn to cope; volunteer as a healer, just as a volunteer or as an apprentice. Get used to minor Threadscoring and the usual cuts and scrapes first that are inevitable to boys. Soon you'll find you don't think of wounds as ugly, but in terms of how to treat them. I do some dragonhealing and that's what I've found, for I was petrified at first, looking at Threadscore!"

"You were?" Gwessina was amazed.

"It is frightening. Especially all the way down the flank of a Bronze dragon; we think of dragons as pretty invulnerable, and to be confronted by one who looks at you with the expectation that you are going to make it better is awfully humbling too." She laughed suddenly "Poor Camnath, when he stood on a heavy crossbow when we took Lord Bargen's men to crush Aven; and he got a crossbow bolt in his tail, the only casualty on our side….HOW he complained, poor little fellow!"

"It's not really funny, though, is it?"Gwessina was shocked.

"Yes and no. His pain wasn't funny, but his complaints that something had bitten his tail were….it missed the faecal passage, just passed through flesh, so there was no serious damage. And Camnath is able to laugh at himself, you know: he's a very good natured dragon, quite chatty."

"Do – do you hear all dragons?"

B'lova shook her head.

"I'm not like our cousin Siriwenne – yes, that child can hear dragons, does a serious job too co-ordinating the Protective wing – and if you want to fit in I'd say you owe HER an apology for your selfishness and lack of compassion to her when she was being so ill treated, by the way. It's just that dragons I'm helping with sometimes talk to me, as they can choose to talk to anyone; because they know I'm trying to help, and I need to know what's wrong and if I'm helping; and they generally say thank you too."

Gwessina flushed over B'lova's censure and answered the first part of her comment.

"I – I never realised that anyone should mistreat a child in our own family" she said. "I – I thought only the commons acted like – like animals!"

"Well, lose that false idea from your head!" reproved B'lova. "We logicators have found MUCH worse behaviour , that often enough occurs amongst the Ranking, especially the worst excesses. The commons may, many of them, be brutal out of ignorance and a brutalisingly hard existence; but the Ranking have the leisure for imaginative cruelty."

"Oh" said Gwessina in a small voice. However much she might harbour preconceived ideas, she had the sense to realise that B'lova would never lie to her. She half wanted to ask what the logicators had discovered; and half preferred not to know!

"C'mon kiddie, mop your face up" said B'lova, heaving Gwessina up, not unkindly. "You look so tear stained it's almost as deep as Threadscore!"

Her face washed, Gwessina waited for the other girls to come back from whatever duties they had found themselves in the weyr to fill their afternoons or from their leisure time if they had managed to steal some without being found duties by T'lana. T'lana liked her candidates to be fully occupied.

The girls duly clattered in, more or less all together, several of them discussing how cute Z'ira's babay son Zallon was, having all found an excuse to go and play with him down at the lake on their way back to wash for the evening meal!

"Girls" said Gwessina "I – I've something I need to say."

"You're 'sent to southern'; we don't want to listen" said Mallitta.

"Let her speak" said Varalie "I think it might be worth listening too."

Gwessina swallowed. The looks on the sea of faces were wary ranging to hostile. Varalie smiled at her encouragingly; and she took heart.

"I wanted to tell you" she said "That I've been silly and – and had some wrong ideas. I – see things more clearly now and I'm sorry. I-I'd like to start over. I can't promise I don't think some silly things for – for not knowing any better; but I'll try."

Varalie thumped her on the back, with a grin.

"That's our girl!" she said "I say we give Gwessi a chance now she's evicted Lady Gwessina."

"Absolutely!" agreed Margesha; and the others nodded.

It would be a relief not to have her whining about her rank, or else going around looking like a wherry in a thunderstorm!

Apologising to Siriwenne was much harder. The child was wary, and inclined to be unwilling to forgive. But as Gwessina seemed genuinely confused that anyone would deliberately hurt a child, Siriwenne unbent a bit, giving credit for Gwessina's naivety. It was far enough away now in time and place for her to catalogue the abuses she had received from her father, and the apparent indifference of her mother, through being as abused and terrified as her daughter in her marriage to a cruel monster like Sirrer.

"While everything went his way it was all fine" said Siriwenne "But if anything went wrong it was mother's fault or mine; and he liked to get his own back on life by hurting us. It was very confusing; being smiled at one minute and beaten black and blue the next because someone had looked at him the wrong way, or he'd had bad news. I thought I must be a dreadfully wicked child to receive so much punishment, especially as I hated both my parents too; and I didn't know how to be good to make the pain go away. I didn't realise it wasn't my fault. And I don't hate mother any more; T'lana helped me to understand that she's a victim too. I – I guess I just hoped you'd notice my bruises when we shared a room and would speak to Uncle Marlov and get it to stop, or would tell me how to be loveable" she was crying.

Gwessina stared and put an awkward arm about the child.

"Siriwenne, I'm a porcine!" she choked on tears herself. "I – I was too much wrapped up in myself to realise….oh if only I had!"

"Well, it worked out better in the long run" said Siriwenne "'Cos I love T'lana and now I'm weyrbred. I hear dragons, you know, and I can really truly help; I can help co-ordinate and I kept Tiabeth calm when Z'ira was unconscious so I feel wanted and useful."

"It – it's what makes people happy, isn't it?" said Gwessina "Thank you for telling me. I – I can't begin to be sorry enough. And I'm going to go and ask Calla if I can learn healing too!"

Gwessina had fallen out of love with herself at last; and if part of it was because she found what she had adored to be unlikeable, part of it was because she was realising that self respect was worth more than self adoration!


	19. Chapter 19

_Thanks Geowyn! yes they're rather a good bunch this time._**  
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**Chapter 19**

Varalie was glad that Gwessina was more or less sorted out as other candidates were still arriving. Gwessi started to build bridges with Siriwenne as well as with B'lova, so the other girls saw relatively little of her; but Varalie made sure to link an arm with the girl to draw her to the table to eat with her and Jerissa.

Teesha and Jaylyn arrived together from the Harper Hall complex under the aegis of T'rin.

Masterharper Robinton had sent word to T'rin that he might care to come for a candidate; and T'rin treated a suggestion from the Masterharper as a summons and had duly gone.

Teesha was the daughter of a kitchen worker and a journeyman Harper; and Master Robinton virtually ordered T'rin to take her as an apprentice.

"She's exceedingly talented" the Masterharper said "Not perhaps quite so much as Menolly; but more so than Kit – er, K'iara. But where I was able to slip an ambiguous Kit in, Teesha's father at least would notice!"

"Where's the problem in that, sir?" puzzled T'rin "Surely he'd be pleased that his daughter was talented enough for you to take her as an apprentice?"

"Ah, T'rin, but you are a good hearted and open minded lad who would smile in proud delight if your own daughter surpassed you in raw talent" said Robinton.

T'rin stared.

"You can't mean – surely nobody would be so MEAN as to hold back their own child out of jealousy?"

Robinton gave a bitter laugh.

"I thought you'd lost all your naïveté by now, lad. Yes, there are people so mean; so short sighted. He's PLEASED that she's off to the Weyr where nobody trained will hear her singing at work and note her purity of tone and perfect pitching….I let him think she was going to Fort. Wasn't that naughty of me?" the Masterharper twinkled.

T'rin laughed.

"Has Master Shonagar heard her voice?"

Robinton nodded.

"I dragged him round the kitchen after L'gal brought him back" he said "Covertly like two apprentices after stealing bubbly pies! He thinks L'gal will do a good job on her; he's declared himself more than satisfied with L'gal's voice training technique. The girl is already sixteen turns; for her father did a good job of keeping quiet about her, and her mother is too diffident to put the girl forward. But she's a resourceful child, and I think you'll find she's managed to get drudge chores in places where she could eavesdrop on lessons; and she's copied those leaves you invented and made her own notes."

T'rin grinned.

"Sounds like she'd be a good weyrwoman as well, then – the Harperweyr might just be even better for her than the Harper Hall."

"I agree" said Robinton. "She's been out into Fall too, you know – to bring in a burro some idiot had thoughtlessly left tethered outside."

"I like her already" said T'rin.

He liked her even more when he met her: Teesha was cheerful and not even particularly resentful towards her father.

"He can't cope with talented women I suppose" she shrugged. "I suppose I'm wrong to deceive him by leaving, but…"

"But, fardles!" said T'rin. "You NEED music."

"I do" she said simply "I didn't want to stand for Impression at first because I thought I'd be away from the music of the Hall; but Master Robinton explained I could learn too and not have to do it on the sly either."

"Oh yes, you'll be a regular apprentice" said T'rin "Obviously."

Her eyes widened.

"Truly? Oh THANK you! I – I thought you might let me learn a little… but…." She said "S-sir, can I ask a favour?"

"You can always ask" said T'rin "I don't guarantee to be able to grant it mind"

"There's a girl, Jaylyn, she drudges mostly in the Healer Hall; she comes across a bit dour, because her mother wouldn't let her stand for apprenticeship to the healers, though she's so clever; but she's nice once you get through the crust. Could – could she come to the weyr on Search? I reckon her mother drags her down, you see."

"Don't see why not" said T'rin "It's everyone's Right after all."

Varalie was not quite sure what to make of Jaylyn; the girl scowled and answered to greetings in such an offhand way that she seemed at first glance to be almost as snooty as Gwessina had been; yet Teesha, who seemed a nice girl, was apparently friendly to her. Varalie decided to take the bull by the horns.

"You know, Jaylyn, we don't bite" she said "And even if you've a deep dark secret or an unhappy past, why the weyr is a fresh start!"

Jaylyn was surprised enough to stare.

"You want to hear my dark secrets I suppose?" she said ungraciously.

"If you want to tell us anything, that's fine; if you don't, well, that's fine too and we'll respect your privacy" said Varalie. "So long as you have a friend to confide in, in Teesha, to help you deal with anything that troubles you, it's none of the business of anyone else."

"Well, I will tell you. There!" said Jaylyn. "I made a bad, stupid mistake once; I was eight turns old but it's still following me. My mother's a drudge in the Healer Hall and they told her to bring some needlethorn from the stores. She had other tasks and she sent me. I didn't know it was in the stores, or what I was looking for; so I went out – with gloves – and gathered sticklebush. And my mother got in awful trouble for it, but she didn't tell on me. But she reckons I'm too stupid to be a Healer apprentice."

Varalie gasped indignantly.

"And how would you know, if you'd never been taught?" she said. "Your mother didn't tell, I bet, because she'd have got in trouble for sending a child and not doing it herself! She sounds lazy!"

"She is" interposed Teesha "And I wish you'd confided in me sooner, Jay, I'd have gone to Master Oldive and told him why your idle bitch of a mother wouldn't let you study! Why, she's still punishing you for her own laziness!"

Jaylyn's face worked like someone fighting a good cry.

"C'mon, Jay, have a howl. You're with friends here" said Varalie "We'll give you hugs and encouragement."

"I – I had ideas about how to improve some bandages and dressings too" tears ran out of Jaylyn's eyes "And my mother told me I couldn't improve on tried and tested; and then she and the other drudges jeered and teased me about my experiments with sticklebush when she caught me trying new ways of an arm support, and she told them all I was still finding new ways to be stupid."

"WELL!" said Jerissa "I know several people who'd like to see experiments with arm supports – the number of people that High Reaches dragonriders fish off mountains with broken limbs is prodigious – I've been out to two myself just since I've been here as a candidate – and sometimes you can't, T'lai says, get at people to do proper bandaging, and you have to do the best you can until you've got them somewhere accessible. T'lai reckons several lengths up, dangling on a stretcher under a dragon can be described as accessible, mind you 'cos she don't care about heights."

"You should become an apprentice Healer under Calla" said Gwessina "I'm just a volunteer but I'm seriously considering an apprenticeship; and then Calla can make a formal complaint about your mother. She ought to be watched if not disciplined; the Healer Hall is the last place a nasty spiteful creature like she sounds ought to be allowed to be unchecked. S'pose she took a dislike to a patient, and refused to bring them a pee bottle?" Gwessina had learned a few unpretty realities of life since going to Calla as a volunteer, but was coping fairly well!

Jaylyn was overwhelmed. Slapped down all her life, it was almost a shock to be made much of; and she cried in earnest all the tears she had been swallowing for turns.

"I'll introduce you to the logicators too" said Varalie, putting a kindly arm around her "They do new ideas and good; like the wheeled chairs for people who can't walk, and hoists to get them in and out of bed. It's going to be all right from now on!"

And Jaylyn realised suddenly that it was!

The last girl to arrive was called Petlia; and she was cotholdbred and older than them all but Margesha at some eighteen turns. She was friendly enough in a distant and withdrawn sort of way; and Varalie noted that she chose to take duties in the childhold minding children; and seemed good with them. But she kept herself to herself; and seemed quite sufficient unto herself.

Petlia had been married just over half a turn when husband had been caught by an avalanche. The shock caused her to miscarry their baby, and though she had tried to manage the cothold, she had found it too much. Her parents did not want a daughter back; so Petlia sold up and tramped to the Weyr and asked to try for Impression as she had nothing left to lose and so had nothing to fear.

So much she finally confided to Margesha, who urged her to share her story with the others.

"They're a decent bunch of girls, you know, not as sheltered as you might think, and they'd be supportive and help you to settle" she said.

Petlia shrugged.

"It's no secret" she said.

Margesha took that as permission to tell the tale; and Jerissa suggested to Petlia that she might like to help the mountain rescue team for those people that COULD be saved.

Petlia, hurting still from the memory of her bitter loss, almost made sharp retort; then thought again, seeing the earnest good intent in Jerissa's tactless eyes. She nodded.

"I'll think about it. Thanks" she said.

The girls were sympathetic; but her grief, her double grief set her apart. Margesha was distressed, for once again here was a girl younger than herself with more life experience while she was the sheltered one with no solution to suggest. It was Varalie who thought of telling Petlia's story to M'rian, who understood widowhood and tragedy only too well; and who had never picked a weyrmate preferring the lovemates selected by dragonchoice and a loose arrangement to share twins Z'nil and L'zayn with her friend Sh'ranis on the understanding that there was nothing deep involved, that she never need lose her man again for not having one.

M'rian nodded.

"I'll take the effort to get to know her" she said "You're a good kid, Varalie – a bit like T'lana for sticking your nose in where it needs sticking."

"Is that a compliment?" laughed Varalie.

"More or less!" said M'rian.

The girls learned more too about the friends Sekind, Margwes and Biron had made amongst the male candidates. Margwes, a twin himself, had welcomed Mirlis and Mirbin, sired by a High Reaches Oldtimer in T'kul's day; a pair of tough self-sufficient thirteen turn olds, hardened by the attitudes to their bastardy, having been conceived in fear of resisting if not by out and out rape. They also had a cynically humorous approach to life despite this, fostered in them by a great grandfather, whose death had taken the only person on Pern besides each other that they cared for; and they had taken his last instruction to them, to go to the Weyr, to heart. They were standing to make him proud and cock a snoot at their mother in equal measure. Another new friend was Torlo, brought from Ruatha under the protection of the Mulgan family, to find a place where his withered arm would not earn him contempt, for the boy had been born that way and would never be permitted to be a jockey or senior groom like his father regardless of the fact that he did not let the disability prevent him doing anything he set out to do.

Of the rest of the boys, there were no others that appealed to the three, save to treat as younger brothers and good naturedly cuff Linter, Perrin and their new crony Menello when they broke out in an excess of mischief, with or without the involvement of Mallitta. Selner, having combined once with Menello to pay back Yann, preferred to graduate towards the older boys, being a serious youth and closer to them in age; and thus hung about the edges of the dominant older group.

Margwes had become very much the leader amongst the boys, and Biron was his second, Sekind preferring to stand back and observe. Margwes had been acclaimed such tacitly without any reference to his Rank, for the lad was charismatic with a good sense of fun and ready ideas for harmless mischief.

The boys, under his direction, put on a most scurrilous yet gentle satire about their leaders, Merello mincing around in a scarlet wig and tripping over skirts as T'lana and Biron playing the necessary, if unglamorous, role of the rear end of Laranth.

The Weyr enjoyed it very much.

"Little tykes" shuckled T'lana, wiping away tears of laughter.

"They could get up to much worse" said R'gar, shaking a mocking fist at Torlo, who had taken his character and made a thoroughgoing ogre of him.

"They could indeed!" agreed T'lana fervently.

"He'll Impress a Bronze, of course, that Margwes" said R'gar "Leadership quality already."

Only a few of the boys refused to take part in the production.

Nobody had been surprised that Dwissom was uninterested – he had not been asked anyway – nor, really that an apprentice weaver called Rorik had eschewed a part – at least, not unless he was running the show. Biron had approached Rorik when the boy first arrived, explaining about the childhold; and had been given a fishy stare and been asked why he should devote his talents to a pack of filthy brats.

Biron had shrugged and left him to his selfishness; and his only subsequent contact with the boy was when Rorik decided that as the son of a Craftmaster he could take over and direct their production.

He was soon disabused of this misapprehension.

Upon being asked with more or less bluntness 'who died and made YOU first egg?' he had sneered and said he didn't really want anything to do with a pack of silly brats and their puerile maunderings anyway.

The phrase 'good riddance to bad rubbish' rang out from several boys!

It was time to view the eggs for the first time.

Tamalenth looked over the candidates, hissing faintly in discouragement. Tamalenth was wont to try to demoralise the candidates more than the other High Reaches Queens, after the fashion of Ramoth, her mother; L'rilly swore she only did it to see which ones could be demoralised and which ones were good 'uns.

Whatever Tamalenth's reasons, more then one of the boys stepped back in terror of the huge, wedge of a head, longer than a man's height. Margesha and Laswenne both quailed slightly. Laswenne hunched her shoulders in a 'don't care' way and walked forward with studied nonchalance. Those other pappy girls who got sentimental over useless wastrel brats would not show her up by pretending not to fear!

She suddenly realised that they weren't afraid. But surely people who got maudlin about brats that should be put down ought not to be able to be brave? Brave, tough and unsentimental; it was the Seahold way.

_"Tough does not mean uncaring."_ The great voice echoed in her head. _"You are hurting because they don't like you"_ went on Tamalenth _"My rider felt like that once….I do not remembaer it well"_ Dragons were notorious for their short memories, but L'rilly's unhappiness had made enough of an impression to stay with the great Golden Queen despite it being but a hazy memory!

_**"It goes against all that I know"**_ Laswenne protested silently and truculently.

_"But is all that you know all that there is to know?"_

Laswenne felt the heavy presence of the Queen withdraw from her head, leaving her to her own thoughts.

"She was speaking to you" said Iadra "You look shaken."

Laswenne was about to return a rude brush off, but shrugged instead.

"It's not comfortable" she said in an offhand tone. "How do you know?"

"I know where dragons are and when they speak though not what they say… I know that the little Golden Queen here quested for me and is looking for more…and that if she doesn't find the right one, I'm second best. I hope she finds the right one" said Iadra meditatively "I'd feel guilty all my life if I were her second best."

"But… I thought you said you couldn't hear what they say? And isn't Impression always to the best?"

"Impression of dragons is, so far as I understand, to the best AVAILABLE. A dragon MUST Impress. If the choice is limited they make the best of a bad job; and then they love unconditionally. But I guess it's why there are some less than perfect Riders around. And why, sometimes, there are Impressions in the tiers, there being a better suited mind there than what's been presented. As to how I hear her, well I guess as hatchlings, dragons are more instinctive, more akin to firelizards; and I hear firelizards. Fortunately I can tune them out" she grinned "Or I'd be perpetually deafened by the dear silly creatures. And it's enhanced by being so close to her choosing me. Your little Green is calling and calling to you and you're so wrapped up in whatever goes on in your strange seabred brain that you're not even looking."

"Where?"

"That egg….feel for her. If you can feel anything for anyone. If you don't care enough she'll stop questing for you and find someone else. Two more viewings after all."

That stung.

"I do feel! I just don't waste time on sentiment!"

"No? Then if what you call sentiment is what the rest of us call common compassion, you miss out on a lot, my friend" said Iadra. "By caring for the old and weak we set ourselves aside from the animals….and nature often compensates, you know. Radall is a fine craftsman, very talented with his hands though he was born with no legs. Varalie said H'llon expects him to make Journeyman by the time he's fourteen. D're, who lost his leg before he Impressed fought through the snow with a fair of disabled kids – Radall among them – and Impressed the only Bronze in the clutch. And from the tiers too, being over age."

"He's lost a leg? Are you sure?"

"You'll be telling me next that you don't know that Serelis lost a foot in an accident in her father's craftcot!"

"The littlest woodcrafter? I didn't know."

"And you'd expect her and D're and Radall to suicide….and there ore others of the youngsters D're brought who are doing well; a blind boy had an operation to help him see again and he's a journeyman now; and you've seen the effects of the fine false limbs H'llon carves. Sh'ranis Impressed and flies Threadfall as bravely as any man. And from other sources, H'gey broke his back; and is learning to walk again from sheer determination, Master Oldive was not sure if he ever would. He was still in a wheeled chair when he Impressed you know; and that sort of courage is what it takes to be a true dragonman, courage that won't give up. You, you're blinder than R'gar's right eye. Look about you – and see that all people have something to offer, even if it's nothing but affection! Now go away, I want to see if there's a stronger pull than the Queen egg and you irritate me too much to feel things!"

Laswenne had a lot to ponder!


	20. Chapter 20

_Hi Middy thanks for reviewing. I recall llama wool being mentioned which is why I use llamas. I've never said that there weren't plenty of runner beasts at Ruatha, in several stories I have the running joke that the best runner beasts and Weyrwomen come out of Ruatha. Not sure where you got the idea that I said they were in short supply. I think that it's logical that asses and mules would have been brought [and probably also form some of the heritance of runnerbeasts that are not, as we find in Moreta, quite the same as horses]; a burro can go where no horse can. Today some rare mules are born fertile; by then I think that fertility would have been ensured in those brought.  
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_I know a very great deal about dyeing! texile history is my thing. I think that Isatis tinctoria, woad, would have been a species brought because it is easier to grow than Indigofera tinctoria the indigo weed; and not merely for cloth dyeing but with the intent to use it in printing inks as well before Thread made things go pear shaped; it's being investigated by the printing industry today for the virtue of being biodegradeable. It's also an anti-cancer herb and any plant with more than one use had to be considered useful. Thanks for raising the point.  
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_As to the contraction of the female riders well, this is AU. If you are devoted to canon, I warn you that I will not be having AIVAS because I won't use bad science. This is the reason I wrote a detailed explanation of a realistic way to make paper in an earlier fic because AMC labours under a lot of happy but unrealistic misconceptions. _

_Sorry you find Varalie at all Mary-sue, she is what she is and a product of that unhappy childhood. I'm glad you enjoy anyway and I hope you continue to do so even with my deviation from canon. I do not apologise for exclamation marks. Some characters just need explode with them, like Jerissa. And I like them although I concede I do overuse them. I'm sorry if I scared you for a moment getting mad, you got caught in the backwash of me being very upset over a very very sick minded person who was mostly on another story but it all came at once. Sorry I can't reply privately and in more detail about that but it was extremely nasty. _

_Amere Mortal I hear you on crafts; there was enough free time however for Oldtimers to cause trouble before they were banished. They don't have to make enough to support themselves; enough to help out others collectively, that's a different matter. _

_If dragons didn't settle for 'best available' why don't they all suicide when there's a poor choice of candidates? __you raise good and interesting points._**  
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**Chapter 20**

Varalie was awed by being amongst the eggs, so fragile, yet holding the hopes of powerful fighters against mankind's greatest threat – Thread! Was there a tentative call from that egg? It wasn't a big one such as they said Bronzes usually came in. Varalie touched the shell softly as the candidates were encouraged to do. It was still faintly leathery; the eggs hardened over the three sevendays they lay in the hatching cavern. Next viewing it would be hardened; and on the final visit, striations should have started to appear, announcing that hatching would be soon. By passing amongst the eggs, R'gar had told them, they gave the telepathic minds of the tiny, immature dragonets the chance to feel if their lifemate was out there. So Impression started taking place in the shell? Yet they were told they'd have to meet the eyes of their dragonet….but it wouldn't be like firelizards. Firelizards would Impress to anyone who fed them; dragons needed to see the eyes – but that was only for confirmation! Varalie had heard of candidates being shouldered aside even though they met the eyes of a dragonet. It needed to be the RIGHT eyes – and the dragonet already knew that.

She turned to Jerissa.

"They make the choice beforehand!" she said excitedly "Impression is the BONDING – not the choosing!"

"Yes of course" said Jerissa dreamily, stroking an egg next to the one Varalie had been drawn to. "And the choices aren't just from the people here but the people who are going to be here."

"You mean if Lavanni did manage to come and see us stand a dragonet might know she was coming and pick her?" asked Varalie.

"I guess so" said Jerissa uncertainly "I can't see it somehow – she's too scared of dragons. And the _Between_ constantly on her spine would kill her I guess. It's different for Sh'rilla; she's not all open."

"It was an example" said Varalie "Oh, it's time to go" she said, disappointed, patting the egg she was stood beside her one last time.

The boys had not been without contretemps. Rorik had laid claim to a big egg and went proprietarily to stroke it.

Margwes sauntered over.

"Don't worry, little dragon" he said, confidingly to the egg "He can touch your shell but a big idiot like him will never touch your soul."

"It's none of your business Margwes" said Rorik "Go about your own viewing."

"I am" said Margwes "I'm viewing this one."

Rorik was fond of himself; but he was no fighter, nor such a fool as to earn R'gar's ire by scrapping on the hatching ground. He muttered something about 'childishness' and continued stroking determinedly and briskly.

"That boy hasn't got a clue" L'rilly remarked to her weyrmate disgustedly as they viewed their clutch.

"Sure, and what 'd you expect of a boy who hasn't even got the skill to play a dragon's tailfork in a play?" quipped D're.

L'rilly grinned.

"What colour?" she meant the egg.

"Well, me dear, I'll not be telling you that for free, now will I?" grinned D're. "What will me beautiful and feisty weyrwoman do t'make it worth me while?"

L'rilly put her mouth to his ear and told him in earthy detail. D're shut his eyes, grinning; and almost forgot the question until L'rilly asked it again.

"What? Oh, Bronze of course" he said "One of three. And a disproportionate number of Browns so there are. Do we need t'stay here any longer? I've me reward comin' to me…"

L'rilly was happy for him to escort her back to their shared weyr!

oOoOo

It was in the grey of predawn, still the middle of the night, when a dragon came into the Weyr.

T'lana got up to meet the visitor, being the nosiest of the weyrwomen – though only by the skin of her nose – and being still awake after having tuned into the mating flight of B'lova's Linith – whose rising explained the Green Rider's slight snippiness to Varalie a few days before – and had kept R'gar awake long after the main protagonists had drifted off to sleep. Blue Sledeth had caught Linith; and it was the third time. B'lova liked V'ral and seemed to get more lucidity out of him than most people did, even T'lana. It seemed the feeling was mutual.

T'lana heard the visitor's tale and went quickly to the girls' dormitory to wake Laswenne.

"Laswenne….my dear, it's bad news. Your sister is having a bad time birthing; they say you might not be in time to say goodbye, but the Rider will go _Between_ time to just after when he left; I gave him permission. Get dressed dear."

Laswenne looked up with big frightened eyes.

"I – yes, weyrwoman, thank you!"

"Shall I come?" asked Iadra, having woken up.

"Any of us would if you need us. We may not get on; but you're weyrfolk in distress" said Varalie.

"I – I'd like Iadra to come" said Laswenne "But – but thanks anyway, Varalie" she added gruffly.

Gwessina snored loudly, twitched and said

"Of course I did, R'gar" in such an injured tone over some incident in her dream that the wakened girls giggled a little hysterically.

oOoOo

The birthing was bad, and was going nowhere; and Calla, who had also come, tutted to herself and got to work.

"If you'd only got me in earlier I'd have had a better chance" she admonished the husband who watched seemingly unmoved his wife's bloody distress.

"Why? It's what women do. If she's no good at bringing forth children it's not my fault" he said sullenly.

"Lovely brother-in-law you have" muttered Iadra.

Lasweene sat by her sister's bed and took the fragile looking hand that was balled with pain. The young woman's face was grey.

"Take…care…our kid….stay…at the weyr….they can't…make you wed…if you stay…" she screamed once.

"What are you doing?" Laswenne shouted to Calla.

"Trying to get the child head first in the hopes of saving one of them" said Calla "A procedure easy for any healer but that should have been done four or more hours ago" she stared malevolently at the husband.

"Lasora's dying. I've seen people die before" he shrugged.

"And needlessly!" snapped Calla "You fisherfolk keep your brains stowed in the boats with the nets! Iadra, pass me that drying cloth."

A baby's thin wail cut the dawn air; and Calla wrapped the child.

"Ahh…." Lasora breathed a deep sigh.

"She's going to be all right? Tell me she's going to be all right?" Laswenne demanded shrilly.

Calla pulled a face.

"If we wrap her warm and take her to the Healer Hall right away and you give your blood we can put it in her…."

"NO!" stormed the husband. "My wife won't be fardling experimented on by those butchers…"

"BUTCHERS? How DARE you, you ignorant little man? It's no experiment, it's an ancient technique!"

Calla rarely lost her cool; but this was one of those few times. She shouted at him,

"You let your wife get to the point of death by your neglect and stupidity and when I suggest the one thing that can give her a slim chance of life you act with all the genius of a spiderclaw? How ignorant are you, you WOODSIE brain?"

"Ignorant enough to let my sister lie here and die while he obstructed you, weyrhealer" said Laswenne in a tight, hard little voice.

"These things happen" her brother-in-law shrugged. "Get over it. When you've stopped fardling about at the Weyr I'll consider you as a replacement; skinny bit like you won't get a better offer."

"In your stinking dreams!" cried Laswenne "And my sister not even cold! And I would NEVER marry a murderer – that's what you are, you murdered her by neglect!"

He shrugged, seeming to find her accusations more amusing than anything else.

"I need sons; the mother of my sons would not lack status. I need to keep the boat going. Do I have a son or a brat?"

Calla, pursing her lips, unwrapped the cloth, and displayed the baby.

"You have a son" she said coldly.

"Well, that's something; putting up with her whining and muling through pregnancy hasn't been a dead loss – hey, wait! That shoulder's deformed, it has a humped back!" he cried in disgust. "Like her last brother – I take it back, I shan't wed you, Laswenne, there's a defect in your line, it's tainted!"

"Don't you want to hold your son?" asked Calla.

"It's not mine! Put it out with the ashes, I don't claim a thing like that!"

"Do you repudiate my – my nephew?" Laswenne spoke.

"What do you think? You know about useless lumps of flesh with your mother birthing one and your father having to wring its neck because she was too fancy to do it."

"The weyr cares for cripples" said Laswenne "If you repudiate him, I'll take him there."

He sneered.

"Well, waste your time then. I'm sure all the girly-boys of the Weyr will get all tearful about him."

Laswenne calculated briefly; and kicked her brother-in-law hard in the crotch.

"THAT's for my sister!" she said as he bent, retching; and landed another kick to the inside of the knee "And THAT's for my nephew so you enjoy limping and a bit of temporary crippling!" she then slapped him hard across the face "And THAT's for the Weyr that does what a girly boy like you wouldn't dare do – go out to fight Thread!"

He was so surprised that he did not even defend himself; though both Calla and Iadra recognised that had he realised that the blows were coming, it would not have gone well for Laswenne.

"Come on, dear" said Calla hastily "We'll risk taking baby _Between_, in as many blankets as we can find and settle him between two of us."

Back in the Weyr, Calla took the baby into the Healer Cavern, and Laswenne went to howl herself back to sleep, with Iadra cuddled in beside her to give the distraught girl a cuddle.

When Laswenne had finally fell asleep, Iadra told the others, who had awoken, what had happened.

"Well, if her baby brother was murdered and she was told not to be sentimental about it, no wonder she was strange" said Varalie. "And the worm has turned and decided it would not happen again to her sister's child."

"Apparently" said Iadra.

"Good for her!" said Jerissa; and such was the general consensus!

When Laswenne awoke, she found she had gone from being despised to being patted on back an arm and praised for sticking up for what was right. The emotions of the night and the expressions of sympathy over her baby brother led to her dissolving back into tears.

"I- I'm sorry to be weak and cry…"

"My dear Laswenne, sometimes it is strong to cry" said Varalie. "Grief bottled up only causes a canker of bitterness within; and to cry tears for others shows the sort of compassion dragonmen – or women – are SUPPOSED to have."

The girls were late both to breakfast and into the Bowl for their exercises; but R'gar just nodded to them to take their places.

"Sir, they're LATE!" accused Rorik "Are they going to get off just because they're girls? Aren't you going to do anything?"

Dwissom was just smirking at Carinn and mouthing something about what had she lost now.

R'gar looked on Rorik with disfavour.

"Rorik, has it not yet occurred to you that it is I who an running this class, not you?" He said coldly. "If you interfered with your father's apprentices I should hope that he put you right – and I am in a similar position to any CraftMaster. This is not the first time you have interfered, setting yourself up to sneak on others or try to get them into trouble. Sneaks are no more than bullies in hypocrite's clothing" he looked around ferociously "I do not, of course, count reporting dangerous behaviour or that likely to cause serious injury in the term 'sneaking'. Dwissom, you are an offence to humanity, whatever Carinn may lose it is not as serious as a man who has to pick on little girls because he has lost his bollocks, if he ever had any in the first place. As to you girls, I commend you on pulling together for the support of the one of you who is suffering bereavement and tragedy. Teamwork makes a Weyr function – especially in fighting wings. To put differences aside for the common weal is commendable. Don't be late again." And he carried on with the exercises as though there had been no interruption.

It was the opinion of Biron and Margwes that Dwissom had got it hotter than if Rorik had not already irritated the Weyrlingmaster; but they accounted it no bad thing at that.

"In may ways" said T'lana to her weyrmate later "It could be the making of Laswenne. Tamalenth had already deigned to interfere – yes, I know, fairly unprecedented, but Tamalenth wants the best for her daughters, Green as well as Gold – and L'rilly saw Laswenne talking with Iadra. And there was enough dialogue there for her to ask Iadra to go with her. But the kid has found out just where her beliefs lie, rather than her conditioned responses."

R'gar nodded.

"Do you think she'll Impress?" he asked. T'lana's judgement of the girls was fairly reliable.

"Any of them might….except perhaps Petlia, who's too caught up in her own tragedy, poor girl" she said. "She's using the Weyr to evaluate her life and decisions; she'll probably end up in the lower caverns or the childhold, but she may as well stand. If she does get involved in mountain rescue as that tactless chit Jerissa suggested, with her own experiences to drive her on, having a dragon could take her further in that. So though I think her unlikely, I'll not rule her out for all that."

R'gar nodded.

"What about the younger ones?"

"Well, stranger things have happened. Y'lara, T'lai and S'hana were only thirteen turns. But they were mature for their age. Carinn is young for her age, and Mallitta just plain young. Although actually I've more doubts about Margesha."

"Why? She's forceful, pleasant enough, sensible…."

"I think she's too old…not in turns, for we've Impressed almost to thirty….I think she's too set in her ways to have room to share with a dragon. Just a hunch" said T'lana.

"Your hunches often pay off" said R'gar.

"I'm still not saying that she won't" said T'lana "She might find an adaptability she didn't know she had. I'm even sanguine about Gwessina now the girls have knocked her corners off – though a turn ago when she first asked to come to the Weyr I'd have doubted that anyone ever could. There's none I'd object to as weyrwomen; and I don't often say that!"

"And who for the small Queen?"

"It might never hatch" said T'lana "Though I think I stand by my original assessment that there's a reason to it….mark my words, there's a reason to Ruth somewhere in the scheme of things. I – I don't know who. I'm torn between Iadra and Ramina; both have the determination necessary for a Queenrider, and Iadra's capable of coming forward if she has to. Ramina's quiet enough, but to run a cot and keep her brothers in order she's got to have a will of iron."

"Well, we shall see" said R'gar. "I guess that if either of those two girls fails to Impress it's because they're waiting for a full sized Gold egg."

T'lana nodded.

"I would think so. Even so, there are plenty of them – as with so many other of our Green Riders – who'd not be out of place with Queens, and so many are much more suitable than many of the junior Queen Riders of other Weyrs."

R'gar grinned wryly.

"I'd like to say you were being egregiously partisan love; but I'm not sure that you are" he said. "And the boys automatically accord them higher status than male Green Riders – more respect, rather than status as such. And they certainly, many of them, take on some of the duties common to junior Queenriders."

"And with the administrative nightmares we have here like the Childhold and mountain rescue, I'm very thankful for it" said T'lana!


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

It had taken Varalie several sevendays to settle into her routine so that it had become routine – exercises and classes in the morning, woodcrafting in the afternoon – and she was now fit enough not to be too tired after woodcrafting to want to join in more than desultorily with logicator meetings or other social activities. She little knew it, but T'lana liked her female candidates to be too tired to have much social life until they had shaken down; it kept them sleeping in their own beds and disturbed the Weyr less! And it had been B'lova's nocturnal peregrinations that had led to T'lana's institution of this custom! For those who did not find themselves apprenticeships or other useful tasks, there were plenty of chores that T'lana, Pilgra, L'rilly and Sh'rilla managed to find for them!

Varalie marvelled at tales of the biting cold of winter in the High Reaches; it had been chill when she and Jerissa had arrived, but nothing like the deep winter's cruel cold. It was hard to believe in the middle of the summer when the same thin mountain air that made the winter so cold allowed the sun to beat down with fierce heat into the Bowl that was a suntrap full of sunbathing dragons and firelizards, the latter often perching on the dragon whose Rider they looked to.

"Kinda cute, aren't they?" said T'thar strolling up behind her as she surveyed the scene and wished she could capture it on paper the way one of the Weyratelier apprentices were doing. "I was thinking about taking myself to go egg hunting" he added.

"There's a place people go, I think, that doesn't require violating the oath to avoid Southern" said Varalie "T'lana assued me that Ket was acquired quite legally…."

"Yes, it's a regular little Weyr in waiting that R'cal found….feel like a trip there?"

"What, now?"

"Why not? I've no duties at the moment, and judging by you lazing down here at the lake, nor have you."

"All right!" Varalie brightened "I'll go get my flying jacket."

He laughed.

"Why bother?"

"'Cos if R'gar finds I've gone _Between_ without a jacket he'll skin me and use the hide to write on" she said "Besides, if you think I want to catch a chill and spoil my chance to Impress, you can think again."

"How detestably sensible you are!" he laughed.

Varalie shrugged, grinning.

"How detestably lackadaisical you are!" she retorted.

R'cal's little Weyr was a beautiful place. The islands sat like a string of emeralds in white-gold settings laid on azure satin as they burst out of _Between_ to gaze down on them. When they landed below the rising caldera it was apparent that much of the verdant green, at least that on the bare rocks, was seaweed; but the white sands were beautiful, and a contrast to the near black rock of the stark caldera that formed the weyr-in-waiting. T'thar had landed in a position that they might look up to where a waterfall cascaded over the lip from a natural lake in the Bowl, rainbows dancing and playing in the glistening water as firelizards darted in and out, their bright colours like little chips of rainbow made live!

Varalie clapped her hands in glee.

"It's beautiful!" she cried.

"There's talk of sending H'llon and Z'ira here as Weyrleaders when Tiabeth is grown, and volunteers to run it, tilling the land and fishing the seas to be independent; with a logicator craft hall and room for those whose ailments need the warmth" said T'thar with enthusiasm. "T'bor thinks it would make a good reserve Weyr; to bring in fresh riders in times of heavy injury. H'llon has been known to wonder – you know how pessimistic he can be! – if the Long Interval would also mean a double length Pass. And if Riders are tired and not that sane after an ordinary Pass…"

Varalie nodded seriously.

H'llon was famously pessimistic about some things, though famously optimistic where the skills he and others he knew were involved. Or rather, he was realistic, she thought, knowing to a hair how good anyone he knew might be. Natural disasters however could not be affected by skill; and preparing for the worst and hoping not to need those preparations made a deal of good sense! How like H'llon to think of that – though somehow she doubted if the modest woodcrafter had been the one to suggest himself and his weyrmate as new weyrleaders here!

"It's a sensible idea to consider" she said "But how about us doing what we came her to do? This is achingly lovely but it doesn't find firelizard eggs."

"Hop up again then" he said "Most of 'em are in the Bowl, weyring like regular dragons in little caves – I was advised by R'cal to land here first just for the view!"

"I must thank him" said Varalie "It was worth the trip just for that even if we don't find any nests!"

She need not have worried; there were nests everywhere, green nests of four to six eggs only, gold ones with as many as thirty eggs, defended by tiny hissing queens and their attendant fairs. Varlaie gasped at the sight of a queen firelizard gobbling down the eggs from a green's clutch, and chase the offending little female back to her own nest!

"They eat each other's eggs when they're not in hatching food frenzy!" she said.

T'thar pulled a face.

"I guess queen lizards lay stronger clutches; eating the eggs of greens nurtures her and keeps her laying successfully" he said. "And it seems that she expects the greens of her fair to protect HER eggs, not lay their own!"

"It seems scarcely fair" said Varalie.

"A Lady Holder expects some of her daughters to be unwed aunties to her eldest son's children" said T'thar "Is that so very different?"

"I suppose not….I was always in trouble with my aunties so I didn't really appreciate them as an institution. I suppose suborning your life to the nurture of someone else's children could be rewarding to nurture kin; or it could be immensely frustrating – and worse than ordinary fostering, for your fosterlings at least look on you as a parent figure."

"Do you want children of your own, Varalie?" T'thar asked.

Varalie laughed.

"What a question to ask! I don't even know yet if I'd like a lover!"

"So it's no use trying to chat you up then?"

Varalie felt a bit breathless and scared; she hoped he wouldn't try anything silly when there was no-one around.

"N-not yet anyway, T'thar" she said.

"At least that's not a total brush off" he grinned. "I wondered if you'd prefer Biron or Margwes."

"I've never thought of any of you in that way" said Varalie honestly "I – I like you all. I don't even know yet if I'd prefer women like Shuba and Joana; I've never felt any feeling that people are supposed to when they're in love, or even in lust. I suppose I'm just so glad to have friends and to have the chance to CHOOSE friends for the first time in my life rather than being told to be a friend to this cousin or that, which meant be her drudge. I started learning about friends in the Harper Hall, the apprentices there were nice kids, and they're almost an extension of their friends in the Harperweyr; and now there's the girls, and you and Biron and the boys, even Bimall…."

"Ah" he said "It can't work, you know, Hold and Weyr."

"What do you mean?"

"Your voice changed. You miss Bimall."

"You must be mistaken ….. well of COURSE I miss him, I like him, he helped me a lot and we got to be friends! But he wouldn't want any romantic nonsense from some kid in any case."

T'thar patted her arm affectionately.

"Well, forget it for now, funny face" he said. He turned away, concentrating on getting eggs, ducking as unhappy queens dove at him.

Varalie started to sing, a soothing song; and her own firelizards joined in. The resident firelizards crooned, and the whirling of their eyes slowed.

"That's neat" said T'thar "I got a dozen here – enough to hand out to a few friends and one or two for myself and you too. We'd better get back."

Varalie nodded.

"I guess we better had" she said "Share them all to friends, T'thar; three's enough for me! I only came for the trip – though I do thank you!"

He grinned.

"Thanks yourself! It's been fun."

She nodded agreement; but her thoughts were whirling like firelizard eyes; he had given her much to think about!

Varalie wrestled with her feelings about Bimall; and could not resolve what she felt. In due consideration she sent him a note via Ket. She wrote asking if he would be coming to see his brother and sister stand for Impression and told him that they were all keeping busy but found time to think of him occasionally and wish him well in his difficult job as Holder. She kept it light and impersonal and wished that she did not want to see him.

Such matters complicated life too much.

While she waited to see if she would get a reply, Varalie decided that spending leisure time with boys who might place too much importance on something that was no more than friendship would complicate matters too much. She remembered suddenly and guiltily the girl Ibella from the Gather at Nabol, who was to have been taken, with her brothers, to the weyr.

Remembering the Gather also brought thoughts of Bimall, helping to push Lavanni, laughing and chatting…and such thoughts were to be sternly banished!

Ibella was a different child when Varalie found her!

"Oh Lady, you DID remember me!" she cried when Varalie greeted her by name "They said you had come to Impress but were awf'ly busy with duties…. I hoped that I might see you and the other lady who was cross at first."

Varalie flushed with embarrassment.

"I could have sought you out earlier, made time" she said "I'm sorry; there were so many new things…."

"Oh, I'm so glad you remembered me at all!" said Ibella.

"Belatedly" said Varalie, dryly. "Jerissa will be happy to come and see you too, I know" she added, secure in the knowledge that her friend would indeed find time. "I take it you and your brothers are happy? You look very well!"

Ibella nodded vigorously.

"Everyone here is good to us, and we get to make choices. The boys are fostered by a woman with daughters, her name's Jaklinne. Her oldest girl is between Frane and me, and she's not a bad kid. And the next sister's just younger than Frane. The youngest two are the same age as my youngest brothers so it's quite convenient."

"Why has she not fostered you too?" Varalie asked sharply.

Ibella tossed her head.

"Well, she offered to…I sort of stay around and help her when I'm not helping with the animals, but I wanted to be fostered by you when you came if you'd have me 'cos you first came up with how to help us."

Varalie blinked.

"I don't know anything about children" she said "I'm only fifteen myself you know."

"You're sensibler than lots of older people. And Jaklinne's nice enough but she drives me half _Between_ 'cos she's got no idea….she thinks I need looking after. Shells, I've been rearing the boys in a cave. Why do I need looking after?"

Varalie laughed.

"There is that" she said "Ramina would agree – another candidate - her baby brother Dortol is raised here but she's been running her brothers in a cot for several turns. Well, you'd get precious little mollycoddling off me you know – specially if I Impress. I'll be too busy."

"I c'd help. I'm not afraid of dragons. Guess Shuli and Frane would too. Maybe Alys. But – but I'd just like someone of my own I could TELL things to who wouldn't climb the walls…I mean, I guess I can tell YOU that I love the boys and I'd fight not to be separated away from them, but it's awful nice to CHOOSE to be away from them."

Varalie nodded.

"I imagine it would be. People who marry expect to get small children. People who foster choose to take on children. You got fostering thrust upon you – and at an absurdly young age. I think it's quite natural that at times you must have resented and even almost hated your brothers."

Ibella heaved a sigh of relief.

"I THOUGHT you'd understand!" she said. "Jaklinne would think it's unnatural I reckon….'cos I do love them too, but explaining I have hated then a little bit sometimes would be beyond her!"

"Yes, I'm afraid some people have rather, er, limited outlooks" said Varalie tactfully.

"She's dim" said Ibella bluntly.

Varalie shrugged.

"It takes all sorts. And she sounds a kindly, motherly person, ready to foster your brothers."

"Oh yes! I appreciate her. I just don't have anything in common with her. She's not much of a kindred spirit. I say, do – do you mind me asking you to foster me?"

"Not at all – so long as your expectations don't run to me tucking you in bed with a bedtime story and checking if you put on your winter woollies when the weather gets cold. In my book people pay for being daft enough to forget things like that if they're old enough not to forget."

Ibella giggled. She had filled out enough to have dimples; and her hair had worked up to a nice shade of dark auburn.

"I can be sensible. I've had to be. And I want to be silly sometimes if I feel like it."

"If I catch you at it I'll tell you off of course."

"Oh yes! That's part of the rules!" said Ibella philosophically. "It's the catching at it of course!"

"You're an imp. And I'm so glad. You OUGHT to be able to be silly from time to time at your age."

"Deal then?" Ibella held out a hand.

"Deal!" Varalie laid her own palm solemnly on the child's. It would not be easy, but perhaps Ibella might also try for an apprenticeship with H'llon if she did not want to work formally with the animals using her gift of talking to them if she fancied something more creative; she was with an age with Radall and a turn younger than Serelis.

And Varalie wanted her to have a chance at happiness.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Varalie did NOT expect Bimall to answer her letter by arriving in person.

She recognised Mardith from Twosprings Hold first, however; then noted that J'frey had a passenger.

Varalie had been discussing woodcrafting with Ibella, and found the child immune to the allure of wood.

"If I have to be an apprentice, can I learn to make glass?" she asked "It – it's delicate and the weyrglasscrafter makes such beautiful things; I never saw anything so lovely!"

"I'l certainly talk to Journeyman Tobari" promised Varalie "But not now" – for this was the juncture at which Mardith had arrived and a familiar figure had dismounted "There's someone I – I need to talk to."

"Is he your lover?" asked Ibella curiously.

Varalie was shocked to find herself blushing.

"It would be wrong even if he was" she said firmly. "Hop it!"

Ibella hopped, as Bimall came over, his little blue firelizard led by her own three, chattering happily and catching up on such news as firelizards found important.

"Who's the child?" he asked curiously.

"Ibella. She's just become my fosterling. She's the kid from the gather, I told you about her didn't I?"

He nodded smiling.

"She looks well – I'm so glad. Though I'd have thought you were a little young to have a fosterling foisted on you."

Varalie laughed.

"Oh, she foisted herself! She's quaint kiddie and I like her. I expect we'll end up more like sisters in a few turns like Y'lara and S'hana!"

"You're determined then to stay at the Weyr?" he took her arm and walked her over to the shade of a projecting rock.

"Why not? It's not as though I have any other place to go. And of course if I Impress there'll be no question. And I'm entitled to three tries, you know."

He was pale under his tan.

"If – if you don't Impress, even being permitted to try again, would you consider returning to Twosprings Hold?"

"Why?"

He flushed.

"Do you remember I admonished you not to read too much into ordinary friendliness?"

She nodded.

"And I told you, I wasn't; I picked an egg for you because I thought it would be useful. He has been, hasn't he?"

He nodded, absently scratching the headknob of his little firelizard. His face was scarlet.

"I – I broke a rule I set myself" he said in a low voice "About getting too close to any fosterlings. And – and it was after you'd left that I realised what a fool I was and how much I missed you."

Varalie's chest felt tight.

"It's impossible!" she said "Hold to Hold and Weyr to Weyr!"

"You could come back with me" he said.

"No I can't, not now!" she cried half panicked.

He crushed her against the rock and kissed her hungrily. Varalie clung to him, moving against him and making a little involuntary noise when he pulled away, burying her face in his chest.

"Why not?" he demanded almost savagely.

She looked up, stiffening, frightened suddenly that he might have his father's cruel streak.

His eyes held hurt at the fear in hers.

"You – you sound so angry" she said "Like your father…."

He gave a little cry of horror.

"No!" he said and his voice was anguished "I'm not like him…. I was angry with myself for letting you slip away….why can't you come with me, little Varalie?"

"Slip away? I fled the marriage my grandfather had arranged with Sebet! I didn't want to marry anyone let alone a prime colt who'd likely expect me to eat grass and whinny to order! Besides, now I've viewed the eggs" she added as he gasped in horror "You see, dragonets Impress on minds that will be at Impression or are around them…because I feel an egg calling to me and I'd let her down if I'm not there for her….Bimall, I've made a commitment. Could you truly love anyone who walked out on than, walked out on duty?"

He cupped her face in his hands.

"I see what you mean" he said softly, kissing her lips gently. "I can't ask you to back down from that; I didn't realise. If you are needed by the dragons I had better say goodbye for ever."

Varalie sobbed suddenly.

"Oh Bimall! Why does life have to be so complicated? I never even knew I loved you before!"

"I don't know, love" he said.

"You – you'll be at the hatching? If – if I'm wrong about the pull, I'll come to you, learn to put up with Hold life again…."

He nodded.

"I'd rather lose you to a dragon than to another man. I know you'll have mates when she rises, maybe love again…."

"It may not happen….but I want it to anyway….and I want you…." A tear shimmered on her lashes and he caught it on his finger.

"If it does….Varalie, I'm not sure I can live without you….I'm a good administrator, and from Biron's odd illiterate scrawl they need farmers too….if Lord Deckter found someone else to Hold, do you think I'd be welcome here? I could live with you being – being flown by others if we were together between that…."

"I should think T'bor would be delighted to have a man about the place to help with the paperwork" said Varalie "He's knee deep in female Green Riders for the most part. There's L'gani I guess, but most of the Bronze Riders are great leaders and lousy record keepers."

"Then I shall think about that, my love; you spoke about having to put up with Hold life…. I- I'm not enjoying Holding either, you know; it seems so uncomfortable replacing father in such a way, however much he might have deserved it. I don't feel that I'm discharging my duty well enough, that I'm not giving it my best…. I could perhaps be happier and do better with you at my side but….. I don't want you to feel caged…anyway we'll see what happens at the hatching and work from there."

She nodded; and put up her face for another kiss.

It made her heart race; it made her heart stand still. And her legs could scarcely hold her!

Bimall cupped her face once more.

"I'll be back for the hatching" he said, his voice raw; and he strode off.

"I thought you said he wasn't your lover" said Ibella appearing suddenly as though from _Between_.

"I didn't think he was" said Varalie. "Oh dear."

"Did he force himself on you?" Ibella sounded fierce.

"No! Oh no! But….it's complicated, he's holderfolk and I'm weyrfolk."

"What's complicated about that? If he loves you enough he'll come here to live" said Ibella. "He looks nice; I guess I'd not mind him as a foster father."

"If only it were that simple" murmured Varalie.

The girl confided the whole to T'lana, who listened gravely.

"We are very sensitive about keeping Hold and Weyr separate here at High Reaches for obvious reason" said the little weyrwoman "If you Impress and he is prepared to renounce his position that would be quite in order, though in some respects it's a shame to lose a good Holder; but then there are more people capable of Holding than there are of being dragonriders so we do have the priority…is he in age?"

Varalie shook her head.

"No, he's turned twenty one."

"Pity. Still, if he's level headed enough to cope with you being subject to dragonlust, I don't see why it shouldn't work out admirably" said T'lana, and smiled kindly on the girl. "Things usually sort themselves out – if people do what's expected of them, by duty I mean, not by convention" she amended hastily "And don't try to force issues. Dragons have a way of making people happy; it's better for them if we are. It's people who are discontented who try to hurry things that spoil it all in their hurry so they DON'T get sorted. Is that any help?"

"I suppose. I trust the dragons and I trust the Weyr. And though I love Bimall I don't want to be a Holder's wife raising the next generation of holderbrats and little more. I suppose if I loved him enough I'd be content to bury myself in a stifling rut just to be with him, but…."

"But if you were forced into that rut you'd start to resent it; and in time resent HIM" said T'lana "Especially if you went with him without having your full chance of three goes to Impress. It's far better if he is unhappy in his father's rather inadequate shoes that he comes to you at the Weyr and pursue his interests in crop and stock improvement here, even though I wager he does a better job than that nasty little man even with only half his mind on the job. He'd be more use to us here than where he is, quite frankly" she added "For his ideas that I've heard from Biron are radical and exciting, whereas any half competent bovine head can make a good go of a rich little Hold like Twosprings. And what's more I'll write and tell him so and that I think his greater duty is to improving our holdings than farting around where he is."

Varalie grinned. It was a watery grin, but one of genuine amusement; the more because she knew that T'lana would write quite cheerfully in precisely the terms she spoke.

"You can't steal EVERYONE, T'lana!" she said.

"No; but I can try" retorted the little weyrwoman. "Feeling better?"

Varalie nodded.

"I'll leave it to the dragons" she said.

"Good girl" approved T'lana.

What T'lana did not tell Varalie, for fear of getting the girl's hopes up and having them let down, was that overage Impression had been known to happen; D're being a case in point. The cut of age of twenty turns was arbitrary, because generally a man was too set in his ways to accept the partnership of a dragon once past his adolescence; women were often more adaptable to an older age, having to be used, T'lana supposed, to deal with new babies, children growing up and such. And some boys were middle aged by the time they were fifteen, others still full of boyish enthusiasm and a spirit of adventure into – well, all their lives! T'lana did not rule out the possibility that Bimall would Impress either this time, or at a future hatching once he had been around dragons a while.

The little weyrwoman also had a word with L'exa about Varalie; the recently Impressed Queenrider had the talent of telling who would Impress which egg and who would not or was still uncertain; and L'exa was able to set her mind at rest as to that question.

Varalie meantime, and with some hesitation, confided in Jerissa. Jerissa had hardly managed to get into any scrapes – so long as one did not count the few rope burns from over-enthusiasm, or the scraped arm on one of the real rescues she had helped with, or the wetting she had received falling off a dragon into the lake because she forgot to fasten her Karabiners correctly in excitement. It was why first attempts at abseiling from dragonback always took place over the lake; and Jerissa had received no worse injury than boxed ears for carelessness from Y'lara. Varalie thought the added responsibility had calmed Jerissa down no end.

Jerissa was sympathetic.

"It'll be hard if push comes to shove and he won't give up Holding" she said "But I did wonder at the time if he wasn't sweet on you. I mean, he was nice to the rest of us, and kind to Lavanni, but….well, I kept it to myself, you were so scared of being married off without reference to your own wishes– and I don't blame you – only he always seemed to have a specially warm smile for you, and his voice changed when he was talking to you."

"I don't think I would or even COULD have accepted it then" said Varalie honestly "A couple of months and the chance to grow up some more in a place I feel safe and can be myself has made an awful lot of difference, you know!"

Jerissa nodded.

"I feel that way myself" she admitted. "And I have to say, there's some nice Riders about that I'm not indifferent to. T'thar for one. I thought you might fall for him!"

"He's a nice boy. Like Biron and Margwes" said Varalie "But in many ways, so young!"

"And him four hundred turns older than you!" teased Jerissa.

"And lots younger in other ways" said Varalie "I – I'm glad you don't disapprove."

"Of course not! You can't help who you love, and he's a nice type too!" said Jerissa. "Well, if T'lana says it'll sort out I expect it will. I have every faith in T'lana'a good sense."

"Me too" agreed Varalie.

If she had Jerissa's support it made her feel a lot more comfortable!

Varalie threw herself into her duties, and spent a lot of her spare time getting to know Ibella, and her brothers too. She told Ibella a lot about Bimall; and after hesitating gave her a brief explanation of why it was difficult to be together, if he did not feel that duty to help farm at the Weyr outweighed filial duty to Hold at Twosprings. Ibella understood more than Varalie had hoped; and bit her lip in consternation.

"Like I was torn about the duty to see my brothers safe, in the Weyr and the duty to stay independent" she nodded. "I guess he'll WANT to do duty to Weyr to be near you; and ask himself if he's only seeing that as important 'cos he wants to be with you."

Varalie hugged her.

"You darling, you DO understand!" she said. "thank you!"

True to her word, Varalie spoke to Tobari too; the young man was taken aback at the idea of a female apprentice, but loath to protest the concept as weyrfolk seemed to think it natural. Tobari was grateful to the Weyr for his place there, near two of his dragonriding sisters and his Brown Rider brother, away from their dour father and conventional mother. His creativity had blossomed away from the turgid atmosphere of the cothold, and he produced excellent and imaginative pieces as his crafter's imagination was free to soar like the dragons that were part of everyday life!

He was favourably impressed by Ibella, who, having made up her mind what she wanted to learn, applied herself assiduously!

T'thar was philosophical about the way things seemed to be panning out; he had seen Bimall arrive, and watched the passionate embrace.

He liked Varalie a lot and would have liked to have had fun with her – but as love mates more than weyrmates. He was scarcely any older than the girl and meant to have fun before settling down in the accepted High Reaches manner! Perhaps she would let Rinth fly the dragon she Impressed for looking on him as a friend if Bimall DID come to the weyr, he thought!

"If YOU don't want T'thar, Varalie, can I have him when I'm grown up?" Mallitta asked.

Varalie laughed.

"That's up to the both of you" she said "But, he's not for me; feel free when you're old enough. But make sure you both know what sort of arrangement you're looking for – and that goes for any lover you take. They may have weyrmates at High Reaches but a man doesn't necessarily mean a long term arrangement if he gives you the eye."

Mallitta nodded seriously.

"I'll remember that" she said.

Unbeknownst to Varalie, T'lana went to talk to Bimall in person rather than write; and subsequently went to see Lord Deckter.

"It's daylight robbery, T'lana!" said the Lord Holder "He's a good man for all his youth!"

"Yes, or I'd not be so keen to poach him" grinned T'lana. "Better though, don't you think, than a Hold-Weyr relationship – though I think they'd renounce each other, I don't want to break two young folks' hearts when there ARE alternatives."

"You are certain she will Impress?"

"Yes" said T'lana. "She has everything we look for and more; and I've someone who can sense Impression too. She'd be wasted Holding, even if she were a Lady Holder and he were your son. Sorry Deckter; no offence intended."

He shrugged.

"I take your point, cousin dear" he said "And I take no offence. A Lady Holder is trammelled by convention as a dragonlady is not. Didn't he have another brother? One who's not at the Weyr?"

"If you want another Bitrul, or maybe worse, then promote Matrul by all means" said T'lana dryly. "He's a nasty piece of work from what I've heard from the girls."

"Well, I trust your judgement" said Deckter "What about the oldest daughter?"

"Huh, she's the wettest" said T'lana "No ability to plan or organise; she'd be a disaster and confirm all the views the hidebound have that women can't Hold."

"Hmm. Then I think I'll see if I can't find someone who might like to wed her; for the continuity. Not that I'll have her forced into anything, of course."

"Not necessarily 'of course'" said T'lana "I LIKE Bargen, mind, but…."

"He's a little old fashione and I never said that out loud" said Deckter.

"Said what?"

He grinned, then said,

"I'll try and pick a personable man and make the remaining children of the Hold his fosterlings. If the older girl falls for him, all well and good. If not, not. First Egg knows, the place could do with someone passing amiable."

"Heh, that's Faranth's own truth" agreed T'lana. "You've got enough sons and cousins, I'm sure you'll manage to dispose of one of them over there; and I guess you could do worse than promote Mallene to Lady Holder on the proviso that she tries to breed a better one than the two the Weyr wouldn't have."

"Maybe I should promote your foster father, Sarel and let him marry Mallene!"

"Sarel? He'd hate it. He dislikes too much responsibility and she'd henpeck him mercilessly. And don't go trying to promote any other of my kin there, they Hold happily enough at Devinder Hold, where Larnel used to be, and my cousin's husband a good heir – him with the big nose – and a quiverful of brats far too young for you to steal before I've had a chance to steal them for the Weyr first when they're in age! I'm passing fond of my relatives and I don't want them lumbered with the dregs of Bitrul's family."

Deckter laughed and sighed.

"Well, I'll do my best for you, you manipulative little creature!" he said.

T'lana grinned.

"I'm practising to be Lessa at her best!" she said.

"I'd say you were succeeding" he responded dryly "Save that you are not in the least bit volatile; never fear YOU putting dragon against dragon."

"Oh, it was only backwash from Ramoth's offended mother instinct" lied T'lana smoothly and with studied airiness. "It would have settled down after hatching had taken thoughts of eggs from Ramoth's mind and her protective urges subsided. We accept being taken over a bit by our dragon's instincts as part and parcel of Impression; the sex is great, some other instincts a little harder to handle. You take the less good with the fantastic" she shrugged.

"Oh, I see!" said Deckter "May I spread that about to those who have been concerned that Benden was …..not entirely rational?"

"Do please, by all means!" said T'lana "It's important that people understand that weyrfolk are human too, but also partly dragon. We need understanding for that part of us that can be instinct driven and tolerance of it."

That should save a lot of face for Benden!


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Varalie was in some emotional turmoil as she approached the second viewing and went to the egg she thought she felt affinity for.

_**"Oh dear little dragon, I wish I knew what to do"**_ she thought at it _**"If I should Impress you I shall be so happy, but I want to have Bimall too now I've realised he loves me….But if you need me that's more important even if I can't…can't have him too."**_

Somehow she felt strangely comforted, soothed and reassured while gently stroking the hardening shell; and relaxed.

The dragons knew best.

There was the sound of running feet coming into the hatching cavern,

The smallest Harper apprentice came running in the breakneck way only small children manage, pelting up the steps towards the Queenrider's viewing platform.

"L'rilly, there's a drum message for you from your grandfather, he AAAGH!"

The sudden scream came as one of Kullana's feet seemed to slide from underneath her, and she flailed wildly as she fell in a wild tangle of desperately reaching limbs clean off the steps – down into the hatching cavern below.

It was a long drop.

Varalie immediately pictured Calla for Ket, impressing upon him to tell the Healer that an accident had occurred in the Hatching cavern. Even a bronze firelizard could not manage a much more complex message than that: Calla would see his vision of the little girl lying in a crumpled heap beside the Queen egg.

Several other firelizards winked out simultaneously as their owners had similar ideas, including L'rilly's own Zammo and Bubbles. Calla would be inundated with calls for help! The Queenrider herself also started to run towards the steps, stopped by D're's hand on her arm.

"Sure, lovely, if there's something she slipped or tripped on, we don't want to upset Tamalenth do we now?" he said softly.

L'rilly stopped short.

R'gar had run forward towards the child in any case, and the girl Jaylyn, trained in the Healer Hall and now an apprentice under Calla, and Gwessina, still deciding whether to be an apprentice, joined him.

"One feels so helpless" murmured Varalie."

"One of you kids run for Calla!" R'gar shouted.

"We all already sent firelizards!" said Varalie "Quicker than running."

R'gar nodded.

"Good, well done" he said, kneeling by the child "I keep forgetting…. Can one of you get Pilgra? Kullana's her fosterling."

Kullana stirred, moved, and gave vent to a blistering oath.

R'gar blinked. Where had she picked that up from? Ah, of course, her fellow apprentice Lyseder was seabred; and doubtless the little horror hung around people like Y'lara whose vocabulary was….colourful.

"You're still alive in any case, Kullana" he said "And in fine voice."

Kullana regarded him thoughtfully while she checked with herself that indeed she was still alive.

"Yes" she said.

"Where does it hurt?" asked R'gar, not unskilled himself at the healing arts.

Kullana thought again.

"It DOESN'T hurt here" she said, pointing to the end of her nose.

"That's not a lot of help" said R'gar, trying not to sound testy.

"I can wiggle my toes so my back's not broke" said Kullana in one of her strange switches from monosyllabic unhelpfulness to remarkably articulate and relevant.

"Good. Your left leg is at an unnatural angle; I think it's broken."

"And my left arm" Kullana was lying on it. "I – I need to move…."

"Lie still!"

"My pipes! I need to know if I broke my PIPES!" Kullana started getting distraught.

"Don't move if it hurts" R'gar admonished "You can always make more pipes" he added, knowing full well he was wasting his breath. Kullana sometimes, like her sister, seemed to dance to the piping of a different Harper, and could get unreasonably distressed over things most people would consider trivial. She had settled down considerably since T'rin had agreed to take her early for an apprenticeship, but R'gar knew better than to let her fret herself into a fever as she was capable of doing. He put an arm under her shoulders as she pushed herself forward on her good arm to feel in her pouch for her pipes. She lost balance briefly, and steadied herself with a tiny hand on the big egg beside her.

A curious look came into Kullana's face; and she fished out her pipes, mercifully – in R'gar's opinion – intact; for he expected tantrums if they were damaged. Instead the child carried the pipes to her lips.

The Paean of joy that echoed through the Hatching Cavern was as startling as it was unexpected.

As Kullana took the pipes from her lips, a contented look now on her face R'gar asked,

"What's that? I don't think I've heard it before."

"It made itself in my head right now" said Kullana "I need to write it down."

"Not now" said R'gar firmly "If you can't remember it later, I'm sure Tamalenth will."

Kullana relaxed.

"Oh yes. Of course" she said, and lay back, drained and grey with pain.

Calla arrived at that moment, having grabbed a weyrling with a gangling, nine month dragonet to lift her across the Bowl. R'enn and Narath had not been flying long and R'enn was bursting with pride to be useful! He was also exceedingly impressed that Calla scrambled with no difficulty onto the half grown Bronze dragonet and rode with great aplomb despite having no straps!

Calla had barely knelt by Kullana when Pilgra bounced agitatedly in with Takula at her heels.

"It's all right, Pilgra" said R'gar "She's not badly hurt so far as I can gather, mostly exhausted from her own invective and a need to tune."

Pilgra raised her eyes to the roof.

"In equal measure no doubt" she said in resignation.

Takula had flown to her sister's side and was hampering Calla's deft examination by holding Kullana's hand and crooning wordlessly like a firelizard.

"Move back, Takula" said Calla sharply.

Takula regarded her resentfully.

"Why?" she demanded.

"So I can best help your sister. You're stopping me and prolonging her pain" said Calla bluntly. Blunt was the only way to deal with these particular little girls, still so damaged from ill treatment, though they had now been at the Weyr for four turns, almost half their lives.

Takula accepted the explanation and moved back.

Calla moved in to start to help Kullana.

"Shells, shards and blistering great squirming Thread!" swore Kullana.

"Did I hurt you?" asked Calla sharply, suddenly concerned. It should not have hurt where she was touching the child unless there were internal injuries.

"No weyrhealer…I just remembered that T'rin was going to teach me to play the fiddle and now I shan't be able to hold the fardling thing!"

Calla hid a smile.

Harpers, like dragonriders, tended to be moderately single minded and were bad tempered patients for being impatient over the things they could not do! She examined the child's arm.

"You're young, it's a clean break. You'll be fit to play inside a couple of sevendays" said Calla. "If you don't mind the pain you might be able to play anyway, once I've strapped it – though I'd recommend sitting down with your elbow propped. It's only the lower two boned you broke; you were very lucky.

Kullana pulled a face; but nodded. She was very lucky, she acknowledged; VERY lucky indeed.

"If I promise to be very good and obey all your injunctions without fuss may I have paper and ink?" she asked.

Calla pursed her lips; but was forestalled in her answer.

"I would hope that a good weyrbred child, an apprentice at that, would obey the weyrhealer's injunctions without fuss in any case" said Pilgra crisply to her foster daughter. "If you are deemed well enough I expect that Calla will permit you writing materials. If you are bad I will take away your pipes as you will obviously not be well enough to play them if you are fractious from your wounds."

Kullana paled.

"I'll be good" she said in a small voice.

Calla flashed Pilgra a look of thanks. The sisters were rudely healthy as a rule and she had had little need to deal with them!

With leg and arm strapped and in a hardened casing of comfrey mucilage, Kullana felt a lot more comfortable, and quickly regained both her colour and her aplomb. The candidates had long since been shoo'd out of the cavern, and L'rilly and D're were investigating the steps as soon as Kullana had been carried off to the healing cavern.

Right below the step where R'gar customarily stood to overlook the candidates, halfway up the steps, there was a thickly spread area of grease.

L'rilly and D're exchanged glances.

"And how did it come about that me dharlin' Tamalenth might have let someone in t' be doin' av this, I'm wonderin'?" queried D're softly.

"She went hunting yesterday afternoon; she fancied grizzly for a change and headed north. She was gone a couple of hours" said L'rilly bleakly.

"Jays, of course!" said D're "And us over by the lake playing with the twins!"

L'rilly's fosterlings, Lassari and Keeran were delightful but very demanding at a turn and a half; and though L'rilly had to leave much of their physical care to Lasolly, she appreciated spending such time as she could with them!

"Well" said L'rilly "Is it you or me that someone bears a grudge against? Or the leadership of High Reaches in general?"

D're frowned.

"Me logicator trained brain is tellin' me that we come up mostly through Pilgra's office t' view the candidates; or walk close to the wall when we do use the steps" he said "'Tis R'gar that runs up the outside of the steps to stand just above the point that grease is set for a good view av his charges so 'tis; and 'tis only that he was stayin' down this time on account av there havin' been a punch up in the bhoy's dorm and him wishful t'overlook them close in case the little tykes were lost t' all propriety."

L'rilly winced.

The idea of fighting in the hatching cavern and the attendant ire of the Weyrlingmaster was a scary one. L'rilly was STILL mildly nervous of R'gar if he was angry!

"So someone tried to kill R'gar….one of the boys who was fighting?" she said.

D're shrugged.

"I'm inclined to turn it all over to T'lana" he suggested.

"T'lana has enough on her plate" T'rin's voice sounded from the bottom of the steps. "It's MY apprentice that took the brunt of that nasty trick; turn it over to me."

D're regarded the youth; and nodded.

T'rin examined the area of grease carefully.

"That happened at the Harper Hall" he said "Someone did it to Piemur. It may not be a murder attempt, you know, just stupid thoughtlessness of some mean brat hoping to make R'gar look silly. Boys sometimes have NO sense of consequences at all."

D're nodded.

"It's the truth ye might be talking' there" he agreed. "What are ye goin' t' do to find out who it was?"

"I'm going to start by finding out who was fighting; and then question the steadier boys over who's been in trouble recently. I'm also going to check the list of which boys have been to more than one Impression; because this is only the second viewing, and knowing that R'gar customarily stands there would, I would think, take more than one viewing. Unless our culprit guessed cleverly from watching the ready way R'gar ran up the first time; but unless it was premeditated that far back, I can't see it making that much impression on his mind if he'd not seen it several times. I'll keep an open mind on that, but if circumstances throw up someone who's been here a while…..well, it'll be suggestive. At least it's not likely to be one of the girls this time; not risking the life of a Queen egg that they might hope to Impress. And that's as serious a part of this matter as the possible death of R'gar or Kullana; for if even that babe had landed a span or two to the left her weight would have smashed the shell and upset the whole weyr – the dragons would have been inconsolable!" he gulped, imagining Renpeth's reaction.

L'rilly had gone white.

It had not occurred to her.

"Sure, pretty, and it didn't happen" said D're, firmly "And you concentrate on calming your lovely head so's not to set off Tammie."

L'rilly swallowed and nodded.

"_I will tallk to the one who did this when you find him"_ Tamalenth broadcast grimly.

T'rin grinned wolfishly.

"I hope he doesn't enjoy it, Tamalenth" he said.

"_He won't"_

T'rin quickly discovered that the boys who had been fighting had been Margwes and Rorik.

"I don't like him" said Margwes.

"He's so fond of himself!" claimed Rorik "And quite R'gar's pet – that man has favourites and not even appropriate ones! He's not got a clue how to make use of responsible older boys to help with the younger ones!"

"Oh yes, you're the insufferable sneaking prig, aren't you" said T'rin equably "I've seen you interfering. And let me tell you, R'gar DOES use responsible – note RESPONSIBLE older boys. You don't fit that description because all YOU're interested in is picking fault. As to Margwes being R'gar's pet, I should think that any boy who can inspire and lead younger lads into relatively constructive mischief rather than dangerous pranks is an asset to a Weyrlingmaster."

"But sir, Blue Rider, I used to help my father with his apprentices and HE appreciated it!"

"Well if your father appreciates a sneak, I must say I'm glad I never studied at the Weavercraft Hall at High Reaches Hold" snapped T'rin. "He sounds a very queer fish indeed for a Master! Believe me I KNOW what R'gar is looking for in potential dragonmen; I used to help him when I was a weyrling; and NOT because he is my father, I assure you, but because he knew I was trustworthy since I was a journeyman at the time, even though I was only fifteen turns old. Oh dear, but you never made it to journeyman, did you? Perhaps the other masters didn't appreciate you as much as your father and thought he'd taught you ways that did not sit well with a position of responsibility! Now, answer me straight – did you pull a puerile prank to try to make R'gar look foolish without thinking of the consequences that might have occurred had he landed on the Queen egg; or that might have killed him or the child who was caught out in it?"

Rorik stared.

"That accident was deliberate? I thought the brat was just clumsy. How can you know?"

T'rin's eyes narrowed.

"How do I know? By looking at the step and discovering that half a jar of grease doesn't usually spread itself randomly on steps. It was most assuredly deliberate; and could have caused a tragedy."

Rorik flushed.

"How can you think that I – _I_ ! might play such a stupid prank? It illustrates what I've said, R'gar has no control…."

"You go too far, candidate" said T'rin, coldly. "Even R'gar can't be everywhere at once; but his one eye sees more than most people's two. He can't change the nature of all those who come to stand for Impression for the wrong reasons. After all, you're still a hideously sanctimonious little puddle of fork-juice, aren't you?"

Rorik stared in angry horror, flushing dark red.

"I only try to help!" he said.

"Your type of help isn't appreciated" said T'rin "Listen boy; for I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that maybe you really DO want to help and are not just trying to seek attention for being a snot-nosed goody-goody; listen and learn. You candidates are aspirants to be dragonriders. That means that you are expected to be independent minded, capable of taking decisions, capable of protecting people. Whilst R'gar keeps a close eye on you all, one of the things he watches for is boys capable of addressing problems – bullies, sneaks, kids with troubles like homesickness, illness, trouble at home – among their fellows. They are usually the Bronze Riders in the group, though not always. Of those who are bullied, he hopes that the small kids will learn teamwork, that they will need in fighting wings, to combine against bullies. And to overcome their fear even as they must overcome their fear of Thread. Heh, it's not going in, is it?" Rorik looked mulish.

"Some of us have learned something, Blue Rider" said Margwes, quietly.

T'rin gave him his singularly sweet smile.

"But then, YOU hardly need to learn" he said sadly. "Ah, well, if it helps any of you to understand better…..listen you boys, I WILL find out who risked our Queen egg. If anyone wants to come to me in the next couple of hours before the noon meal to tell me how sorry you are you pulled a daft stunt without thinking through the consequences, I will do what I can to help you and keep you from the brunt of Tamalenth's wrath. 'Cos believe me, that dragon so is pissed off!" he said "Confess and it WILL go easier. If I have to put myself out to find out, I'll be pissed off too. Believe it."

He turned on his heel and walked out, hoping fervently that some boy would come forward to him soon.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24 **

T'rin had received no visit after the noon meal; and as soon as he had looked in on Kullana he intended to report to R'gar to tell the Weyrlingmaster of his failure to make a fast and relatively happy solution.

Kullana was sitting up in bed furiously scribbling a rather crumb-laden score whilst eating meat rolls. She nodded to T'rin and carried on working.

T'rin picked up her plate and meat roll and fed it to her in bite sized pieces.

"Ffanks" she spoke through a mouthful.

"You're welcome" he grinned. He was reading the score over her shoulder, amazed as he always was by her scores at the sophistication. "That's extremely good."

"It happened in my head when I touched the egg" said Kullana, swallowing the last morsel "I thought about the little Queen wanting to get out into the hatching cavern and meet her lifemate."

T'rin nodded.

"It sounds almost like Impression feels" he said soberly. "Good job you're too young, sprout, or I might have had you separated from your work by a young Queen, hmm?" he smiled at her.

Kullana returned one of her inscrutable looks. She was good at them. T'rin could guess she was more than half disappointed to be too young and ruffled her hair sympathetically.

"The floor was slippy" she said.

"It was greased" he told her.

She frowned.

"Who would want to hurt me? I've not irritated anyone that bad I don't think."

"Not you, funnyface – no-one was expecting you. Shards, shells and little pointy bits! Lord Groghe's message!" he clapped his hand to his mouth.

"You can tell L'rilly. Lord Groghe will understand about it being delayed" said Kullana.

He nodded and patted her affectionately on the shoulder before hastening to tell L'rilly that her grandfather had asked for an invite to Tamalenth's clutch hatching. L'rilly was happy to comply, and promised T'rin that she would drum the message herself to save him time! She was more than capable after all!

T'rin and R'gar sat in the latter's office. They had summoned Margwes, Biron, Sekind and the twins Mirbin and Mirlis, who seemed to have some influence with the other boys their age.

"Any ideas who might have done it?" asked T'rin.

"After your well developed statement of contempt on sneaking?" queried Biron.

"Biron, don't you recall what I said in the Bowl the other day, the day the girls were late?" growled R'gar "About how reporting dangerous pranks was not sneaking?"

"A child might have died but for the sheer luck of how she fell" said T'rin "Let alone other possible consequences. It goes beyond sneaking. I have given the boy who did it the chance to own up; he has not. I now have to take a more serious view of the matter."

"It couldn't be a girl, could it?" asked Margwes. He flushed "I know it's not so likely but….they say Jerissa is full of pranks and a bit heedless and Carinn's reckoned a total wherry-down head, though Dwissom bullies her about it beyond what's reasonable."

"Yes, I caught the little turd at it the other day" growled R'gar "taking her things and holding them out of reach, laughing and asking how she could be sure they really were hers as she was always losing stuff."

"What, again?" gasped Margwes. "You'd have thought he'd have learned his lesson after m'sister, Varalie and Jerissa beat him up for it not a sevenday ago!"

"I believe I didn't hear that" said R'gar firmly. "Yes, again. I sent him to scrub every necessary reachable without a dragon as he had so much spare time that he devoted to the scatological pursuit of playing with girls' underwear. I'll be checking that he's done them too; and so he knows."

"You wouldn't be checking though, would you sir, if you were unconscious, dead or nursing broken bones?" said T'rin, intently. "He's been here for a previous hatching too…." He explained why he felt that important.

R'gar pursed his lips.

"I hate to think the boy would go so far….but shards! I hate to think of any boy doing that!"

T'rin sighed.

"I have to make sure nobody did it to make it look like him" he said.

oOoOo

The girls stared, frightened, as T'rin outlined the possible consequences of the prank.

"I think" he said "That whoever did it did not think through all that could happen" he said. "Carinn, if you or your friends did it to get Dwissom into trouble because of the Weyrlingmaster catching him throwing your underlinen about…."

"What, again?" interrupted Varalie indignantly "We gave him what for only the other day for the same thing!"

"Huh, I wish you had let me wedgie him now" said Jerissa.

"I wish I had too!" said Varalie, eyes sparkling with rage. "He gets at Carinn, just because she and he were both left over from last time and her a little girl he can pick on without risk to himself!"

"Which being so, did any of you girls do it, on the principle that he'd be a suspect?" asked T'rin.

They shook their heads.

"Even I'm not that silly!" said Carinn indignantly "Or so nasty! Why, I'd not hurt someone to get someone else into trouble, it's a mean trick!"

T'rin reflected that a few months ago she might have been heedless enough to do just that; and smiled approval on her that now the very thought made her indignant.

"Someone did it to a boy at the Harper Hall" said Jaylyn diffidently "Almost killed him on the drumheights. I – I was no older then than the little girl who fell; I remember how white and ill he looked. I – I suppose it wasn't a Harper who remembered it too?"

T'rin shook his head.

"I know exactly where all the Harpers were at the time it had to be done" he said "Including Teesha. So I can exonerate them, at least. Thank you girls; I had to ask."

"No problem, Blue Rider Harper Journeyman" said Varalie gravely. T'rin shot her a look to see if she mocked; but saw by the gravity in her face that she gave him all his titles to reflect the seriousness of the occasion.

T'rin assembled all the candidates outside the hatching cavern as soon as the day had cooled down a little, with awnings rigged to add to the meagre amount of shade cast by the westernmost of the soaring spindles that ringed the Weyr.

"First let us eliminate those easily provable to be innocent of this crime" he said, his trained harper voice reaching every one of them with total clarity.

"C-crime?" one of the boys spoke up, looking panicked.

"Crime" repeated T'rin grimly. "It moved past being a thoughtless prank when the culprit refused to own up; so that suggests that it was indeed a deliberate attempt at murder, no boy's trick in thoughtless vein. Unless it is merely because the culprit was too cowardly. If so let him speak up now; I will give him one more chance, or be forced to assess him a deliberate criminal."

There was no confession.

T'rin sighed. It had been worth trying, to scare the culprit more with the consequences of not confessing than the thought of punishment as might be expected for a prank. T'rin guessed that the boy who had done it had no expectation of being caught; that he was safe from being proven guilty even if suspected. He was, T'rin reflected, never more wrong.

"Sir, why are you doing this not R'gar?" asked Selner, one of the seabred lads. T'rin looked at his face and decided that the question was quite serious.

"Because R'gar does not want any misinformed idiots to accuse him of being partisan in examining his charges, because this matter is too serous for internal discipline. Because too I am a Harper as well as a logicator. Harpers investigate crime and adjudicate law. T'bor is sitting in as final arbiter of justice for the Weyr to pass judgement" he gestured to the Weyrleader standing quietly behind the seated boys, grave of face.

The gravity of what was going on struck several of them at that moment and several lads paled.

"What of the Impressed weyrlings, the girls and the younger brats?" Dwissom spoke up. "That girl who fell is always fighting with another one her own age."

T'rin regarded him coldly.

"I have summoned the group that had the opportunity for their excess of leisure" he said "but I will enumerate the reasons why other groups are not included. The weyrlings were walking pattern when the deed was done – which might answer YOUR earlier question, too, Rorik about why the Weyrlingmaster did not see it done and stop it. He gives FULL concentration to teaching the weyrlings the patterns that will help keep them alive, and he seems to take that seriously. Perhaps you might be able to work out why, if you can comprehend a Thread a little more dangerous than a strand of linen on a loom. The girls too are all accounted for; the few without duties were down at the lake playing with L'rilly's twins. I already checked that" he said. "Takula – Kullana's sister who fights in the way siblings do without heat or vigour – was with Pilgra. Besides which, I hardly think that any weyrbred small child would have the temerity to go into the hatching cavern without a legitimate errand; they have a far too healthy regard for the wrath of the weyrwomen, let alone Tamalenth! Besides, other facts to be revealed later will demonstrate why it had to be one of you."

"How can you know when it happened?" Dwissom sneered.

"There is only one two-hour period when Tamalenth was absent from the hatching cavern; she went hunting. She would CERTAINLY notice any boy lurking around her cavern near HER eggs; and would er, remonstrate" said T'rin. "She hisses like a kettle at those of you she doesn't like when you're entitled to be there – you think she'd not protest more if one was there who was NOT entitled? Oh she'd not hurt any human; but she'd certainly pin him to the wall behind her claws until she had summoned L'rilly to deal with an interloper."

There were a few nervous murmurs. T'rin surveyed the faces and went on,

"Those of you who have apprenticeship duties and weyr duties in the afternoon, fall out."

About a quarter of the boys did so, a dozen and a half or so. T'rin nodded to the group of journeymen he had asked to attend, and the lower cavern women who supervised skilled chores, and J'la who had been overseeing those helping with the animals. The recently Impressed Green Rider did not permit Dwissom anywhere near her domain of runnerbeasts and herd beasts since his bullying of Ramina's littlest brother Dortol when the boy had first come to the weyr. Lasolly fostered Dortol with T'lana's children and the little boy was happy to help in any way his infant ability might be used.

"Journeymen, supervisors, were any of these who should have been at work not around or absent for any period during the time Tamalenth was gone?" he asked.

Journeyman Teleman reluctantly indicated Biron.

"The boy was gone for a few minutes; I sent him to fetch me the day's leavings from the kitchen for the compost heap" he said "But the time that elapsed, I'd say he moved sharpish and would never have had time to come over here and do anything as well as collecting the vegetable peelings."

T'rin glanced across the bowl to the wall of the compost heap and small vegetable plots on the other side of the lake to the herds.

"What were you doing, Teleman?"

"Staking legumes. I did five by the time he ran back with the bin of vegetable waste. Strong lad that."

T'rin nodded.

"For confirmation, Biron, run to the kitchen garden from here and back to the kitchen; I shall watch you while Teleman mimes doing what he did."

Biron nodded and set off. He did not object; it seemed an orderly and sensible way to test if he might have had time. He had scarcely even got to the other side when Teleman straightened and said,

"I turned and saw him approaching me about now."

T'rin nodded and gave a piercing whistle through his fingers, beckoning Biron back when the boy turned.

"That proves fairly comprehensively that he did not have time" said T'rin. "anyone else out of place?"

"Not for longer than to use the necessary" said Keerana for the lower cavern staff. "And I keep a close eye on the boys working under me to see that not too many bubbly pies disappear. Boys have a dragon's second stomach."

T'rin grinned, and rubbed his own knuckles reminiscently from his own experiences of being caught by Keerana sneaking titbits!

"The Blue Rider knows about my vigilance you see" said Keerana dryly.

Several of the boys chuckled and T'rin grinned ruefully at her. Then he nodded to the boys with duties.

"All right; you boys may go about your duties; or take leisure as your journeymen are assisting me. You may stay and observe should you wish."

About half the boys elected to take an unaccustomed afternoon of leisure; the rest stayed. Mostly those who stayed were those who took an interest in logicating!

T'rin nodded in grave acknowledgement to the youthful logicators and surveyed the fifty or so boys left as yet uncleared, reflecting cynically that good weather hatchings always saw more candidates for the dragonets to choose from. But then, if only the hardiest came in during winter, the dragonets had quality over quantity. It evened out most of the time.

"As I have been told, some couple of dozen of you smallest ones got invited on a picnic by some Green Riders" he said. J'nara, B'lova, Sh'anne and Ri'a had taken those of thirteen turns and under who had no craft on a brisk hike and picnic to work off some of their excess energy and keep them out of R'gar's hair for an hour or two. T'rin went on, "You lads fall out; I rely on your honour to stay put if you weren't on the trip."

"You can rely on us to know and duff up any liar too sir!" piped up one youth.

"I wasn't going to go there" said T'rin mildly "I HOPED to rely on honour."

The boy, Perrin, Buildercraft bred, grinned unrepentantly. There was no weyrbuilder attached to High Reaches at the moment – the previous journeyman having left in a huff when T'lana was a weyrling because she was better at mathematics than he was – and most building work was done by H'llon, minercraft Riders and any other weyrfolk who were handy with their hands. Perrin worked intermittently, with the one legged lad Dand rescued by H'llon, helping D'nor and B'lan excavate new caverns. Such intermittent occupation gave the lad plenty of time for mischief, and Dand was happy to join him and Linter, even though the boy did not want to stand for Impression himself.

"Perrin was certainly there" said B'lova dryly. "Fell in a stream trying to bridge it with an inadequate piece of rope and cracked his head open tripping over a stone whilst chasing gontermorras."

Perrin grinned. He had a lovely bruise to testify for him.

"Glad to clear so villainous a character" said T'rin. "So we have some two dozen of you. Twenty seven in fact. Now we can whittle down YOUR whereabouts more easily perhaps."

"Sir, some of us were playing on the lake" said Selner "Me and, er, four others" he counted on his fingers "We saw Tamalenth go over – she's pretty magnificent, you can't miss her – and wished her good hunting, though I doubt she heard us" his eyes widened "She says she did and thanks us!" he gasped, awed.

T'rin nodded to him.

"She doesn't honour all by talking to them, lad. But she appreciates courtesy. And yes, she IS listening in to this enquiry; she has an interest in the proceedings; it could so easily have been the death of her Golden daughter that we were investigating as well as horrific injuries to an innocent child. All right you five, fall out."

"We were watching them fool in that tippy raft of theirs" said another boy, indicating some friends, eager to be cleared of nearly killing a dragonet!

"We saw them" said Selner "Boring deadglows, wouldn't get their toes wet."

"I can't even swim, you outsized packtail!" retorted the first boy.

"Cut it out both of you" ordered T'rin before a scuffle started. "Allow that some people have different skills to you, Selner, try not to get too insulting from regretting the skills you lack, Mennor. Selner, you can teach him to swim; that should please the both of you."

The boys subsided and shuffled off on their backsides over to those who had remained to watch. Keerana exclaimed in horror!

"No WONDER so many of you go through the backsides of your trews so often!" she scolded!

"Seventeen left" said T'rin, surveying them.

"Three on punishment duty threading needles – ineptly – for some of the Weyr seamstresses for making game of a male Green Rider" said T'lana "That's fourteen."

The three dropped out with rather red faces, but more relief in their hearts than embarrassment.

"Sure, and wasn't ten of us playin' five-a-side hurley" said Torlo, who wielded a hurley stick as well with one arm and most people did with two.

"And you cheating" said a boy called Pridekan, a relative of Holder Priarish of Three Rivers Hold.

"Ruathan rules, me bhoy, Ruathan rules" said Torlo airily.

"I'm going to ask D're about these Ruathan rules some day" muttered Pridekan "I swear they change with every game."

"And isn't that part of their charmin' nature t'be sure?" Torlo grinned at him and Pridekan gave a reluctant laugh.

"Fool" he said amicably. Pridekan and Torlo were firm friends.

"So: four left" said T'rin. One of them was Dwissom. "Can you four account for your activities?"

"This is ridiculous" said Dwissom loudly "why should we?"

"Because as investigator of this crime I tell you to. As Blooded Blue Rider, I tell you to. As Journeyman teacher of the child who was harmed, I tell you to. As one designated by Tamalenth's Rider, I tell you to." T'rin's voice was very controlled; but anger was in it.

Dwissom paled.

"Well I was sleeping" he said loudly "I was tired; I went to lie down. R'gar's extra duties exhausted me."

"I was throwing up" said one of the others who still looked pale. "A touch of the sun the journeyman healer said."

Calla nodded

"The Journeyman reported it to me and put it on record" she confirmed.

"One proven" said T'rin "Hop it into the shade proper, lad; if you want to listen, Tamalenth will let you squat in the cavern mouth just this once." He looked at the final two. "You two?"

"I went for a walk on my own" it was an older boy, called Janarek, from Tillek. "I felt stuffy and airless; I wanted to feel some breezes. But there weren't any. Still, it was a beautiful walk."

"Did you see Tamalenth?"

Janarek shook his head.

"She must have gone some other way. I went south; I found a small valley with an empty cot, very cunningly contrived with a spring bubbling up inside it, cold and delicious."

Had he but known it that pretty much proved his innocence; for it took a good hour's walk to reach T'rin's old shelter from the times he had felt the need to run away regularly. Unless of course he had found it on a previous occasion and thought it would make a good alibi, adding verisimilitude to his story.

"And you?" he said to the last.

Coll, the last boy, scowled.

"I took a well earned rest" he said "Out of the weyr on a ledge where I wouldn't be disturbed. I never saw the dragon go over either. I guess I dropped off."

"Pity he didn't drop off – off the ledge" muttered one of the smaller boys. Coll had an ungenerous disposition and a sour attitude. The smallest boys called him 'WhyMe?'

T'rin smiled. It was not a nice smile.

"We come next then to the additional proofs" he said.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

The three boys not cleared viewed T'rin with varying degrees of apprehension and hostility.

"Firstly the grease" said T'rin "It had to come from somewhere. Keerana passed out a bowl of grease three days ago to half a dozen boys to learn to make leather polishes with grease and berry wax under R'gar's direction as more than six boys in a kitchen constitutes a major disaster. Coll and Dwissom were two of those boys, who could have easily acquired some of the grease to their own ends. Proving it to be premeditated."

"Sir, to be fair" asked Margwes "Couldn't anyone sneak some from the kitchens?"

"You're obviously far too honest to have tried to sneak anything from Keerana's kitchens" said T'rin. "I did however ask her to account for all the grease she had; and she could. She checked thoroughly, because it's a vital commodity and she can't afford to run out of it for polishes and for salves for the healers as well as in cooking. She knows exactly how much she has; and none was missing."

Coll whined,

"I never done nothing!"

R'gar muttered to T'bor

"That's half his trouble. He never has done anything if he can help it."

"There was another proof too" T'rin looked around "Bronze Rider H'llon has been pioneering a craft secret of the logicators; that the patterns on the ends of our fingers are unique, no two people have the same – even twins" he nodded to Mirlis and Mirbin. "This is confirmed by a reference to the use of such in an ancient text on logicating. There were several prints on the stair; those of D're and L'rilly when they came to examine it and found the grease; a palm print and disparing grab marks at the edge from Kullana; and one other, a clear print on the step above where the culprit steadied himself" he looked sternly at the boys "You will each let me take your prints and we shall see which one matches."

"I don't believe in such rubbish!" said Dwissom scornfully "Finger prints? What child's tale is this?"

"No child's tale but one that is accepted by the Harper Hall and several Lords Holder as well as by me, the Weyrleader of High Reaches Weyr" said T'bor, coldly.

T'rin was already fairly certain whose print was going to be found.

He was not surprised.

T'bor, R'gar, L'rilly, Pilgra and D're all examined the boys' prints and compared them to the careful drawing Geriana had made at T'rin's request of the one he had brought out with fine soot.

Tamalenth's head came out of the cavern.

"_Which is the one who nearly killed my daughter?"_ she demanded. It was an open enough broadcast that all the boys jumped a little and looked scared!

T'rin pointed at Dwissom.

The boy gave a sudden whinny of terror, then clapped his hands to his ears in a fruitless attempt to shut out the Golden Queen's mind voice.

"Get it out of my head! Get it out of my head!" he cried.

L'rilly watched without sympathy.

"She's telling him what she thinks" she said dispassionately.

"Direct lass, our Tammie" murmured T'rin.

"She gets it from Pilgra and T'lan….." murmured L'rilly.

"Mm. of course" said T'rin, reflecting that dragons often sounded like their Riders – which made Renpeth's fine singing voice even more surprising – and that L'rilly, when angry, tended to be shrill.

After Tamalenth had finished with the boy, T'bor started.

Dwissom was in the weyrleader's office for a long time.

H'gey limped over to T'rin.

"Any chance the kid is salvable?" he asked.

T'rin shrugged.

"Tamalenth seemed to think that he was only sorry for being caught" he said. "He cared less about her egg so long as he could – he hoped – get back at R'gar. He regrets that the kid sent with the message wasn't R'gar's daughter and wasn't killed." The young Harper clenched his fists; he adored his foster sister Sagarra.

H'gey sighed.

"I had to ask" he said.

"'COURSE you do old man" T'rin punched his friend's arm lightly.

Dwissom left the Weyr on foot; no dragon would take him. T'bor sent message to the boy's crafthall requiring blood money for Kullana's injury, to be taken from anything Dwissom might earn. It was her entitlement, after all; and if the Beastcrafters disputed the boy's guilt there were records available. L'gal had written down every word.

It was unpleasant when such things happened, T'bor reflected; but such was life. Some people could be turned around in the Weyr, like that cousin of B'lova; and B'lova herself! Others? Others could not.

There were at least several certainties of life at High Reaches that could be relied upon.

T'lana finding trouble: Pilgra soothing him over it: and the excellence of Tillek white!

Carinn for one was glad that Dwissom was going; and demanded that his possessions be searched before he left in case he had any of hers.

In the light of Dwissom's behaviour towards her, this impugning of his honesty was taken more seriously that it might otherwise have been; and in point of fact the boy did have several of Carinn's garments hidden amongst his own things. T'bor added a request for a fine for the boy's theft and a suggestion that the Masters keep a close eye on his strange habit of collecting female underwear. And THAT, the Weyrleader reflected in grim amusement should get the boy into trouble if nothing else did, for the hidebound had a horror of sexual unconformity. Even though he, T'bor, believed that the boy only took the garments to spook Carinn!

As a flask of grease was also found in Dwissom's press, it was a final piece of proof.

T'lana did however reprove Carinn for dancing wildly in circles and singing in celebration as the boy went out of the tunnel; pointing out that gloating was not very nice.

Once T'lana was out of earshot, Carinn grinned.

"I gloat!" she said "Oh how I gloat and I don't care!"

The phrase 'I gloat' took the imagination of the younger ones and it became a standard way to express satisfaction over the downfall of the unpleasant thereafter!

Varalie gave a squeal of pleasure one day on her way to her apprentice duties when a dragon she did not recognise came in to land with a wheeled chair strapped to its fighting straps, and a large figure behind that could only be Relga.

Serelis was crossing the Bowl with Varalie.

"Serelis, please will you ask H'llon if I may be excused?" Varalie asked "It's my friends, he made the chair for one of them!"

Serelis grinned.

"He's bound to say yes" she said "I'll certainly ask him – you go say hello!"

Lavanni was pale with fright and scarcely seemed aware of Sh'rilla's hoist being wheeled forward to lift her down. Relga slid off cheerfully enough without aid – she was twice the side of the wisp of a lad that was the Rider anyway and he could never have helped her! Varalie remembered to thank the Rider on Lavanni's behalf. The boy grinned.

"She's welcome – her family are really nice! Mind, it was a job getting her up – I think your equipment here is really ingenious! Good job our Relga's good and strong, isn't it?"

Relga smiled her inscrutable smile.

"You came Straight, I take it, Green Rider?" asked Varalie.

He nodded.

"Took most of the day – we had to take frequent rests for Elrith's wings. Good fun, we saw a lot we usually would miss. Hot here, isn't it, what's the beer like at High Reaches?"

"If it's up to the standards of Keerana's normal cooking, very good" said Varalie. "I'm not keen on alcohol, it tastes furry."

He laughed.

"You've yet to develop an adult palate – said he patronisingly from having learned to like beer about two months since" he said, grinning. "Thanks! I'll go make sweet to the kitchen staff."

"Tell Keerana you're stiff from a long flight Straight – she'll probably take pity on you if you look pathetic enough and feed you up" advised Varalie.

He brightened.

"You are a nice friendly bunch up here!" he said "The rumours are true then; and thanks again!"

Varalie took Lavanni and Relga to the girls' dormitory. It slept fifteen being converted and modernised from a boy's dormitory when the whole weyrling complex was extended and modernised. The only complaint made was that modern techniques could not copy the ancients' ability to heat water and rooms from underground heat, though provision had been made to introduce H'llon's ideas of tapping gas from the necessaries to burn; work was in progress.

Varalie grinned happily.

"I'm so glad you could both come!" she said to Relga, squeezing her arm on one side, and Lavanni's on the other.

_**DDDD** she wasn't going to miss it**DDDD**_ Relga drummed _**DDDD **So we came early to give her time to recover.**DDDD**_

"What about spending time being so close to so many dragons?" Varalie was concerned.

Relga shrugged.

_**DDDD **she says she'll stay inside. I think she'll just get used to them.** DDDD**_

Varalie grinned.

How like Relga to be so down to earth and practical!

Varalie sought permission for Relga to see the Hatching Cavern to know where to take Lavanni's chair.

"I guess she won't mind little dragons close to, too much" said Varalie doubtfully. "Tamalenth, I know you'll find it hard to understand how anyone might be fearful of anyone so beautiful as you – except Dwissom, who I hope is VERY frightened of you – but would you mind not getting too close to my friend Lavanni when Relga brings her in? She's scared of all dragons."

Tamalenth gave a snort, but inclined her head in agreement.

_**DDDD **Is she not beautiful?**DDDD**_ drummed Relga _**DDDD **even more so close to!** DDDD**_

"She is" agreed Varalie. She would not have been human if she had not half yearned for the Golden egg to contain her own lifemate! "All dragons are so beautiful!"

_**DDDD **Their eggs are lovely too – so many patterns!**DDDD**_ Relga half held out a hand to one as she drummed.

"Slow down" said Varalie "You've become better and faster than me at the drum measures!"

Relga grinned and repeated the comment more slowly.

Varalie nodded.

"Well, we'd better go – best not to make Tamalenth uncomfortable" she said, substituting the last word for her first thought of 'snippy'. Tact never did any harm with dragons; especially large Golden dragons with eggs they got, well, snippy about!

Lavanni was happy to meet the other girls; Varalie had written her newsy letters, of necessity short so as not to overburden Ket, but she had managed to describe all the girls in detail. The crippled girl was nervous of Laswenne at first; but Laswenne had learned a lot, and was starting to learn to make up her own mind rather than take the received attitudes of her kin as inevitably correct. The seabred girl had named her nephew by this time, naming him both for her sister and the first girl to befriend her at the Weyr, and calling him Lasiad. She planned to foster him for herself when he was older; but felt herself inadequate to the task. Fortunately one of the lower cavern women had recently given birth and Lasiad was provided with a milk sister. With her new found independence of mind, Laswenne was as considerate to Lavanni as the others; indeed determined to fall over herself to make up for turns of sneering at cripples. And she could not deny that Lavanni was compensated for her immobility in the exquisite sewing she did; and hearing the story of Lasiad, Lavanni immediately set to work sewing for him!

Lavanni loved chatting with the others, and was glad for Relga to wheel her round the edge of the Bowl to meet H'llon to thank him in person. Fortunately Varalie had warned the Weyrwoodcrafter of Lavanni's fears, for otherwise Melth would have come to say hello too, being a very friendly Bronze dragon as he was! While out walking, Lavanni also met Ibella, Varalie's fosterling and her journeyman, Tobari; and exclaimed over the delicacy of the glassware he was taking over for Pilgra's approval; and promptly put in an order of her own as a turnover gift for her parents

"It being as well to think ahead when you have the opportunity" she said when Tobari blinked at the request so long from Turnover. "I'll not be staying past hatching, you know!"

Tobari nodded; he had assumed that she was a new resident, taking advantage of the High Reaches policy that there was no such thing as disabled, only that some people could do things others could not.

Relga pushed Lavanni out of the Woodcraftshop and turned to walk back up that side of the Bowl to avoid passing the lake; too many dragons were swimming and sunbathing there. Varalie glanced over; and grinned as Camnath spread his wings out and rolled on his back; and Joroth picked her way delicately from the shallows, gave her mate a look, and poked his tummy with her nose.

Camnath rolled over with the nearest Varalie had ever seen on a dragon's face to a sheepish look, and lay in a more decorous position beside her.

Varalie chuckled; she could not help it!

"What is it?" asked Lavanni, who was facing the other way. Varalie hesitated.

"If it were firelizards you'd laugh" she said "I – I don't know if you will with dragons."

"Tell me; I – I don't mind HEARING about dragons I just get scared up close to them."

Varalie described the scene; and Lavanni did laugh.

"I think things like that might help" she said timidly "To – to think of them as, well, people."

"Dragons don't hurt people, you know" Varalie said, refraining from adding 'except sometimes accidentally at hatchings' for fear of putting her friend off.

"I know. It's not rational. Fears don't have to be" said Lavanni.

"Yes; Bronze Rider H'llon likes having his weyr at ground level because he's terrified of heights" said Varalie.

"Terrified of HEIGHTS? How can he ride then?" giggled Lavanni.

"Apparently that doesn't count because he's not actually connected to the ground. Like you say, it's not rational! It's cliffs and tops of ladders he gets uptight about; once on his dragon he's fine. And the bravest thing he ever did was to abseil down a cliff to rescue a girl, knowing that the rope was rubbing on a rough projection" said Varalie who had found that out from Ipominea, whose sister it had been that he had rescued!

"That IS brave! But it's still the oddest thing I ever heard!" Lavanni was still giggling over the concept. It was cheering that a brave dragonrider like H'llon should have an irrational fear too!

"As brave as my dear friend putting aside her fears to come and be supportive" said Varalie, kissing Lavanni fondly!

Time flew; one day became two, became three. The whole Weyr mourned as the dragons keened for the passing of Mirath, Queen ridden by Fanna, who went _Between_ when the Istan Weyrwoman died.

And the next day it started; the humming of the dragons.

"Take her over, Relga and get a good position before all the dragons start coming in with guests" said Varalie, stripping quickly to put on her white candidate's tunic.

Relga nodded, and set off with Lavanni, as scared and excited as if she was a candidate herself.

"I hope father and Fayarna bring the baby" said Jerissa "He wrote that I have a little brother!"

"I expect that the baby will be too small to come _Between_ safely you know, Jer" said Varalie gently. "Calla only brought Lasiad because it was an emergency. I guess you might have to put up with just seeing your father this time!"

Jerissa pulled a face and scrambled her own white tunic over her head, swearing as she got tangled in her rush. Varalie rescued her friend's head from a sleevehole and went to sort out Carinn and Mallitta, also hampered by an excess of rush sacrificed to speed.

At last they were ready; and Riders were ready to take them over. None had a special boyfriend; so the female Riders had claimed the privilege of taking the female candidates; Varalie found herself behind T'arla, Teesha behind Mi'a, the harper girls claiming the right to lift harpers and 'the more decent of the amateurs' as T'arla laughingly said to Varalie.

"Oh, isn't T'thar there for Iadra?" asked Varalie, surprised, seeing Iadra sat with Laswenne on Y'lara's Tanath.

"Nope. Wondered if he might; but there! Some things don't work out despite the supposed romance of the situation; after all, you rescued him, even though he rescued Iadra" said T'arla.

"He's very young after all" said Varalie and wondered why T'arla gave a shout of laughter!

The sands of the hatching cavern were hot; but on this midsummer day so too was the sand in the Bowl. Varalie scarcely noticed. More than seventy boys, a dozen girls, and yet there was still room on the floor of the vast cavern…..the tiers would be more cramped with the assorted kindred of the candidates, even if some would have nobody there to cheer them on. Mirlis and Mirbin, embarrassments to their mother and her parents would stand with no support but their new weyr family and memories of their great grandfather; Iadra had no kin, though Varalie had heard that Lord Larad planned to watch her stand; and Laswenne was in the same position as Varalie herself with no kin she cared to have there.

A large motherly woman, expensively but tastefully dressed called

"COOEE! Gwessi – Margwes!" and waved as her husband shushed her – but could not himself resist a wave and a blown kiss to his pretty daughter.

Gwessina winced, but shrugged and smiled to wave back.

"At least they love us" she muttered "Not like the other twins' family, or those horrid fisherfolk Laswenne is related to."

"Yes" said Varalie "Your mother reminds me of mine – unless I imagined it. She died when I was four or thereabouts."

Gwessina squeezed her hand.

"I'm sure she'd like to borrow you" she said "You could wear all the colours I can't, all the vivid ones – she'd LOVE dressing you and mothering you to pieces!"

Varalie laughed.

"I might even enjoy that!" she said "So long as she doesn't baby me."

"You know, you could never accuse her of that – not like Bellanda" said Gwessina "I guess she's a pretty decent mother!"

The girls made their way first towards the Queen egg; Queens usually hatched first, and any disappointed girls could then see if a Green awaited her.

There was a loud SNIC!

Hatching had begun!


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

The humming of the dragons and firelizards reminded Varalie of the music she had joined in to perform in this self same cavern only a few sevendays ago – it seemed half a lifetime! She glanced over at the tiers, half panicked, hoping to see Bimall, afraid he would not come, afraid of her feelings if he had.

The Gold dragonet was emerging, questing, looking over the girls. Varalie knew that the marks of most of the dragonriders lay on either Ramina or Iadra; tacitly the other girls made room for them, Varalie wondering why Iadra hunched her shoulders uncomfortably. The little Queen staggered right past them, ignoring all efforts to catch her eye. Iadra's eyes widened and she straightened up gladly.

"Oh the right one is here somewhere then!" she breathed.

"She's trying to get out of the cave!" cried Jerissa; and indeed the little Queen, crying piteously, was heading for the great opening.

The light from the entrance was diminished in a flurry of wings and a silhouette that could be distinguished where the sun fell on the skin as a pale golden queen. It was a small Queen, the size of a Green dragon almost transparent and she deposited a tiny figure on the sands from her front claws before taking off and vanishing _Between_ before she had even left the cavern.

The questing dragonet butted itself into the arms of the much bandaged Kullana, bawling in a mixture of delight and hunger.

Suddenly this little Queen was pale too, a very poor colour!

"I read about Kate!" Kullana exclaimed to the girls "Kate who sent her dragon back in time to rescue herself to get to Impression! I knew I'd do it too!" then she keeled over.

"Wouldn't be High Reaches without drama" muttered Pilgra, gazing on her fosterling in horror.

"With Lord Groghe here too!" groaned T'bor.

"Leave him to L'rilly" said Pilgra firmly "Let her spin him the tale of how we uncovered the story of Kate on those tiles and how a Green Rider rescued herself and he'll think Kullana – K'lana I suppose the child should be – dead plucky. He admires pluck."

"She's not more than nine turns old!" said T'bor

"F'nor was barely turned ten, I'm told. We sequester her" said Pilgra, trying not to ley her own consternation show in her voice "We said she was an unusual little Queen; she's just made a most unconventional choice."

Pilgra had chosen not to create more controversy by running to K'lana, though she was making a stealthy way outside; Takula had leaped over the tiers to run to her sister, and T'rin, assisting R'gar at the exit, grabbed a bowl of meat from the Weyrlingmaster.

"I'll see to my errant apprentice if you like sir" he assured his foster father.

"DO! And spank her for me when she's recovered!" said R'gar.

Takula was scolding and congratulating her sister all in the same sentence. K'lana was grey; and Calla had hurried out and was busy pouring warmed milk into the child as she fed her tiny Queen with the meat T'rin gave her.

"Don't let her gorge, K'lana" said T'rin, evenly "Let us help you. What is her name"

"Jeshimoth. I knew THAT when I touched the egg. It's why I had to play to her to tell her how glad I was she chose me."

"For shells sake don't tell anyone else that!" said T'rin. "It's even more out of the way than usual even for High Reaches"

K'lana grinned.

"She loves music" she said "She can be an apprentice too. I say, I am tired."

"It's normal after Impression even in the normal way" said T'rin dryly "Not to mention timing it. Takula, help Jeshimoth over to the weyrling barracks while I convey this tyke. She's had quite enough to eat with the both of you shovelling it in, see, her tummy has a slight bulge.

Jeshimoth hiccoughed sleepily; and with K'lana's instruction let her Rider's sister guide her while T'rin held the wobbly dragonet up on the other side with K'lana tucked under the other arm.

"I feel like a sack of tubers" complained K'lana.

"Believe me, in your nightie and all over bandages where there isn't nightie you look like a sack of tubers" grinned T'rin.

K'lana put her tongue out as he deposited her on the cot beside the dragonet sized bed.

Both dragonet and little girl were asleep before T'rin and Takula had left the room.

Takula sighed.

"I'm the oldest" she said "By nearly three days. It's something else she's done that I haven't."

"One of you's bad enough" said T'rin in heartfelt tones.

"You know, I think I might have to go away from the Weyr for a while and apprentice somewhere" said Takula "Don't know where yet. I'll have to think."

"K'lana will need you yet awhile"

Takula nodded.

"Yes, but only for a while. I need to go somewhere to find ME."

As this was by far the least cryptic comment had ever heard his apprentice's half sister utter he nodded understanding, glad that Takula had felt she could confide in him!

Back on the hatching grounds the candidates had little time to worry about minor drama. Most spectators, thankfully, just saw a child in white – K'lana's nightgown looked enough like a candidate's tunic from a distance – brought in by dragon, and assumed something had delayed the little girl; and beyond a rush of disappointment from the parents of daughters. Not that any fond mother had been expecting to put her daughter to a Queen egg in any case as it happened; its presence had not been bruited abroad since there had been some doubt that so small a Queen might not hatch.

Of the weyrmembers watching, consternation had switched to hasty betting over whether Ramina or Iadra would fail to Impress whilst awaiting a Gold, or if they would impress a Green. Bimall, who had been asked if he would like to sit near the front much nearer than his mother and sister listened in amazement to the Riders he appeared to have ended up in the middle of.

It was true what they said that dragonriders would bet on anything! He listened with amusement to the roar of triumph from some throats and rueful disappointment from others as a girl now called R'mina Impressed a Green dragonet, and heard someone saying sagely that it looked a big strong Green and so much the better with R'mina's talents for the protective wing. Whatever that all might mean. Several small boys, presumably the girl's brothers, were screaming their unqualified approval!

"_B'mall? Where are you?"_

The voice was in his head!

Bimall started; then looked down the two tiers into rainbow eyes as Enneth sought him. He almost fell down the last flight of steps to get to the most wonderful Bronze dragon there had ever been on Pern, heaved over the barrier by a couple of burly dragonriders who instantly recognised the look in his eyes. B'mall murmured thanks and was lost in Enneth's gaze!

The hunger that gnawed at him was imperative; and he stumbled off, almost crashing into his brother leading a Brown dragonet.

"Bimall? No, B'mall!" B'ron grinned all over his face. "You dark racer you!"

B'mall just grinned.

He had not had to choose the Weyr; the Weyr had chosen him!

Z'kan and M'gol gave each other the high five. T'lana had been quite right as usual!

Varalie waited still, unaware of B'mall's Impression behind her, abetted by Z'kan and M'gol. She and Jerissa held hands waiting….waiting.

To their left a shell broke; it was a Green.

"Is she…." Asked Jerissa

"We felt these ones" said Varalie "If she's one for one of us she'll find us."

The little Green hurried in ungainly fashion for the side – towards Lavanni.

"Surely not?" gasped Varalie "Going _Between_ could kill her…."

"She could be weyrbound….suggested Jerissa."

"A waste of a fighting dragon….unless there's more to her than we understood….it can't be, she's terrified!"

Lavani cried out in fear and Relga pulled the chair back, standing in front of it.

"If the dragonet wants Lavanni, she'll maul Relga!" cried Jerissa in panic.

"Silly! If she wanted Lavanni, Lavanni would want her – it's Relga! Look!" cried Varalie in excitement. As they watched, Relga knelt; and tears flowed down her face in silent joy.

Lavanni looked stricken.

"Oh no! Oh Relga! Who's going to look after me?" tears of anything but joy streamed from Lavanni's eyes.

Relga turned to her milk daughter, and still on her knees took her hands. Varalie watched her drum,

_**DDDD **You are almost grown up. You have your chair now to give you freedom. SHE needs me more** DDDD**_

Lavanni swallowed.

"Be – be happy, Relga. I – I owe you everything; I'd be horrid if I wished you anything but your own freedom." She touched the big woman's face.

Relga kissed her tenderly; and picked up the dragonet bodily to carry her off to find food.

There were some gasps at THAT unconventional behaviour!

"Well, most people encourage their dragonets to walk to strengthen them Re'ga" said R'gar dryly "Don't let her gorge; you have a firelizard, it's just the same. But let her do things for herself too; she is here to protect YOU as much as you are to protect HER. It is a partnership."

Re'ga took the mild rebuke and nodded, though she was still half in a dream!

Varalie and Jerissa were crying in emotion for both their friends: in mixed feelings of joy and sympathy.

The egg nearest Varalie broke!

"Hildyth!" she gasped "Oh Hildyth, I KNEW you were the one for me!"

"_And you are here for me"_ said Hildyth, her mind voice complacent _"And I amHUNGRY!"_

Varalie helped the wobbly Green dragonet across the sand, out into the bright sun of the Bowl.

"Congratulations, V'lie" said the Weyrlingmaster, clapping a broad brimmed hat on her head and passing her meat.

"Thank you sir" she said. "Is – did anyone come out to find me?"

"Your friend in the chair's with your other friend, Re'ga" said R'gar.

"Oh" said V'lie she should not feel any pangs of disappointment in the wonder of Impression….but there was the hint of it there, though her joy of being with Hildyth drove it determinedly back! Slowly she helped Hildyth over to join the other Impressed.

And he was there!

"Bimall!" she cried "Of course, I should have known you'd go with your brother!"

B'mall grinned.

"Deckter's going to have to get his finger out" he said "Meet Enneth!"

V'lie stared.

"You Impressed? You IMPRESSED!" she flung her arms around him.

"Heh" said B'ron "But it's got to be 'yes, sir, Bronze Rider' to him now, y'know….as if big brothers weren't bad enough anyway!"

B'mall cuffed his brother cheerfully, and backed off while B'ron hastily explained to his Hreth that it was only in play!

"But – but you're over age!" V'lie was perplexed.

B'mall shrugged.

"I heard the Queen got a kid who's severely underage; maybe the dragons added us together and got two right in the middle…"

"Idiot" said Varalie, adoringly.

"So how do we go about weyring together? That's the right term for marriage here isn't it?"

"Well first we wait for these two to stop being walking tummies" said V'lie dryly "'Cos we'll be too tired to think of anything else except poking meat into them for days; and then I shall expect you to court me. And when they're big enough to need their own weyrs we ask B'lan and D'nor to sort us out a double weyr."

"We have the best of all worlds" said B'mall, awed "The love of these amazing creatures and each other too. It's wonderful!"

"Oh yes!" breathed V'lie, happily.

Carinn and Mallitta sobbed bitterly with disappointment to come away without Impressing.

T'lana put an arm round each.

"Dear ones, you are very young. I've no doubt that there are little Green dragons not yet shelled who will love you in the future. Why not wait a turn or two? Skip a few hatchings? It will give you the chance to grow up more and become more fully formed in your minds so a dragonet knows what she is looking for."

"Ku – K'lana's younger than us" said Mallitta, a little resentfully.

"Yes, and we're all rather shocked by her Impression" said T'lana. "It's happened before to a child as young, with Jaxom and Ruth – and if I'd stood in Lessa's shoes he'd have been J'xom – but it isn't very normal. But then, poor little K'lana's not had a very normal start in life. And her father IS a Weyrleader, even if he isn't the most shining of examples. She and Takula were sired by T'kul; and blood will tell in some respects at least – talent wise, I mean."

"Do you think we really do have a chance?" asked Carinn, wistfully.

"Yes, dear one, I do. I wasn't at all sure a quarter of a turn ago; but you've come on no end. And between you and me, B'lova still loses her kit occasionally, though she's never been quite as bad as you – unless you count the incident with the brooch!" here T'lana giggled and refused to be more explicit. She smiled at Carinn and went on, "Get involved in weyr life and your time will come."

"Thank you, weyrwoman T'lana" said Mallitta "You won't make me go home will you? I've so much freedom here I couldn't bear it!"

"If you wish to stay, such is your Right" T'lana reiterated. "You shall be officially fostered by your brother Bronze Rider B'mall and his Weyrmate V'lie. Now run along and find something to eat; you must be tired after all this excitement and in need of sustenance!"

They duly ran, Mallitta digesting the idea that her eldest brother had arrived without her knowledge and Impressed a Bronze and that he and Varalie – V'lie – had somehow become lovers without her realising! It was most unfair; but at least she loved V'lie and could approve of her as a sister as she would not have done of most of the eligible idiots her brother might have married!

Later T'lan arranged a controlled reunion between Mallitta and Mallene; the woman was quite put out by her older son Impressing!

"I don't quite know what to do" she said "Matrul's not old enough…"

"Leave it to Lord Deckter" said T'lana, realising that Bimall had not confided his plans to go to the weyr to his mother! "Let me handle it if you like….Deckter's a kinsman of mine through his mother. I'll see it sorted out. I should think you'll be quite glad to leave a lively child like Mallitta at the Weyr too, while you adapt to such a big change!"

T'lana was expert at manipulating people; and soon had Mallene convinced that the Weyr was doing her a favour by having her younger daughter, and as proud as could be that not one but two of her sons were Impressed Dragonmen, one of a Bronze dragon too that the people of her Hold would be proud of as well!

Disappointed candidates too were Petlia and Margesha.

Petlia shrugged philosophically.

"I have skills to give to the Weyr anyway" she said "I'm good with children."

"Margesha? What are your plans?" L'rilly asked the older girl.

"I don't think that being a weyrwoman is somehow for me" said Margesha. "The administration I can handle; but the problems to solve are out of my experience and more….unscheduled….than I'm used to. I think I'll go home; and turn my ambition to being a Lady Steward someplace. The experience has been valuable; and I'm grateful to the Weyr for giving me the opportunity to expand my horizons."

"The weyr wishes you all the best" said L'rilly gravely "And will always answer if you need to call upon us; we never forget those who have been of the Weyr even for a short time; and you have always done your best to fit in."

Margesha looked surprised and touched.

"THANK you weyrwoman!" she said.

Petlia had made a decision about how to best fit in after hatching; and suggested to L'wenne that, as she had herself lost a child, and Lasiad needed a mother, she should foster the baby for his aunt once he was weaned.

L'wenne was delighted! The candidates had forged bonds and become quite close; so having Petlia look after Lasiad was almost like keeping it in the family as leaving him with a sewing drudge she did not know who just happened to have milk was not. Petlia received a rough hug and a growl of thanks that was as close still as L'wenne managed to expressing emotion most of the time!

M'wes and G'sina embraced each other fondly when each found the other had Impressed! M'wes was overjoyed that his sister had shaped up enough to be worthy of a dragon; and G'sina was as proud as could be that her brother had one of the three Bronzes!

The other twins were happy too, M'lis with Bronze Calanth, M'bin with Brown Obith.

"Twins forever!" they shouted at M'wes and G'sina.

"Twins forever!" M'wes shouted back, while G'sina just grinned soppily!

Iadra did Impress, becoming I'dra, with another big strong Green. K'len lost a packet over it, but won on R'mina's Impression – including the bet he had made that her dragon would be large enough to be considered for the protective wing one day – so he was no worse off. J'issa and J'lyn were the other female Impressees and busy discussing mountain rescue teamwork with J'issa's climbing skills and J'lyn's medical expertise! V'lie was delighted her best friend had Impressed too! And that Re'ga had!

The positive thing that came out of Re'ga's Impression was Lavanni's determination to meet and get to know her friend's dragon; in fact all her friends' dragons. It was a step towards overcoming her fear; and she agreed to stay in the weyr for a while too!

Teesha was not as disappointed as some of those who did not Impress. She had been busy jotting down a tune on the hem of her Impression tunic when the eggs were hatching.

"Music is something she's been starved of" said T'rin "She needs to be full of that before she can consider being a dragonrider. K'bit was different; he just assumed any dragon out there would love music too, so of course Impressed one that was last time. I'm not sure if Teesha will Impress; like I'm not sure if Jaysen will either. But they don't need to; they have the Harperweyr."

For all the drama it was voted a good hatching; especially by the newly Impressed.

And perhaps the happiest of all were B'mall and V'lie.

**The End**

_And yes I do have plans for K'lana_

_I shall be posting a couple of novella length Weavercraft stories next, unashamed school stories within the format of apprenticeship, beavering away transcribing Vorinia and Artists [which latter requires some finishing I find as well so it might not go up as quick as I hoped]. I may be slower getting them out now I'm having to slave over a hot keyboard to transfer them from longhand. Reading my own appalling handwriting is an issue lol...I may not have the next one out straight away as I shall be collecting some feral kittens to foster the day this appears so how much mayhem that causes remains to be seen. at least they can't go **between** like firelizards though sometimes with some cats who do disappearing acts I do wonder...  
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